Біосферний заповідник «Асканія-Нова»

Askania-Nova is one of the last remaining near-pristine steppe ecosystems in Europe, spanning 333 km² in the Kherson Oblast of southern Ukraine. The biosphere reserve was formally established in 1921 but owes its existence to Friedrich von Falz-Fein, a German-descended landowner who in the late 19th century deliberately shielded the steppe from agricultural cultivation. At the heart of the reserve lies an acclimatization zoo — home to over 50 rare species including Przewalski's horses, bison, and various antelope — alongside a botanical garden. The surrounding virgin steppe preserves a type of Pontic grassland vegetation that has almost entirely disappeared elsewhere in Europe, making this one of the continent's most ecologically significant nature reserves.