Created in 1968 to protect the environment, plants, and animals of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains (until then only game preserves existed). In 1993 it became the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve; its area is now 66,417.4 ha. It originally consisted of three complexes. Two of them cover the Chornohora range, which contains the highest peaks of the Ukrainian Carpathians - Hoverla (2,061 m) and Pip Ivan (2,022 m) - and is covered with fir, spruce, and beech-spruce forests. The third - the Uhlia-Shyrokyi Luh complex - lies in Zakarpattia Oblast on the southern slope of Mount Menchul (1,500 m) in a region of unique ancient beech forests. The deer, chamois, lynx, brown bear, and other species are protected at the reserve. Bibliography Komendar, V. (ed.). Karpatskie zapovedniki (Uzhhorod 1966)
