Touran Biosphere Reserve

Statements of authenticity and/or integrity

　　This area has some endemic plant species e.g. Astragalus kavirensis, A.touranicus, A. ulothrix, Cousinia mashhedensis, C. lasiandra, Eremostachys hyoscamoides, Hymenocrater oxyodontus, and Persian unimal species, i.e. Gazella subgutturosa and Equus hemionus.

　　Enjoying a great variety of endemic flora, there exist some types of Iranian Fauna like zebra, ram, ewes as well as some predators like panther and wild cat. In North West of today Ghar village some remainings of a buried city has been excavated. The ancient ruins of Kharazm reveal that the area was populated during the first half of the 11th  century of Islam. Discovering of industrial centers and impure metal alloys, handy files and metal forms in southern part of Touran all reveal some active copper mills. Discovered potteries in Khartouran and other findings prove that the history of the area dates back to Sasanid Era.