Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve is a unique corner of nature: here is the only piece of steppe in Europe that has never been touched by a plow (once excavated steppe is never restored). The Askania-Nova Reserve is listed among the "100 Great Reserves and Parks" of the world by the book of the same name, published in Moscow by the Veche publishing house in 2002 (author-compiler N. A. Yudina). Open-air museum: lonely ancient burial mounds, stone Scythian women, created by ancient sculptors, have been preserved here. The reserve covers an area of ​​11 thousand hectares; adjoins a forest park with artificial ponds and canals, where many animals and birds live. More than 400 species of herbs and flowers grow in the Askanian steppe, cereals predominate.
At the end of April, tulips bloom, then irises, astragalus, hyacinths, buttercups. In May - carnations, chamomile. In summer, the steppe, wrapped in a silver haze of feather grass, shimmers with waves from the slightest breath of breeze. At the ground squirrel burrows, clumps of grayish-gray wormwood grow. Askanian park with an area of ​​about 200 hectares. significantly different from the wild steppe zone. It is broken according to a strict plan. There are about 150 species and forms of trees and shrubs in the park. Holly maple, Crimean pine, pyramidal and columnar oaks, juniper, elm, spruce, ash, white locust, weeping willows near the water. The center of the composition of the park is a picturesque pond.
On the territory of the reserve, you can meet representatives of more than 60 species of birds. 16 species nest in the virgin steppe, many occur on migration. There are about 40 species in the park, about 30 species of birds in the reservoirs. In spring, the voices of whooper swans are heard. White and black swans, flamingos, cranes, bustards, little bustards, gray partridges, most of all different types of larks. The steppe eagle is a rare guest, more often you can see the steppe harrier flying low above the ground. In the enclosures - African ostriches, emus, nandu, bustards, pheasants, peacocks, steppe eagles, crowned cranes, parrots. The original zoo of the reserve contains a unique collection of animals. Zebras, South American camels, Indian and African antelopes, deer. Lamas, Scottish ponies, wild horses - tarpans (Przhevalsky's horse), American bison, Kaffir buffaloes graze in the steppe; Saigas are the oldest ungulates, the same age as mammoths. Saiga need water only during a severe drought. There are many small animals: mice, hamsters, and jerboas. Predators - ferrets, foxes, weasels, ermines are also found.

History of Askania-Nova Reserve:
In 1874 F.E. Falz-Fein, as a reward for successfully passing the exams to the gymnasium, received from his father an aviary for birds. Fifteen years after graduating from university, Falz-Fein Jr. founds a unique acclimatic park. Then he allocates a plot of the virgin steppe 500 acres and declares it reserved for all time. The reserve adjoined the forest park. Behind the forest park were fenced off areas of the virgin steppe, where they lived, brought from everywhere, antelopes, bison, zebras, ostriches. In the acclimatization park, work was carried out to tame and domesticate animals.

It is noteworthy that eland antelopes, very cautious and avoiding contact with humans in their homeland in Africa, were so tamed in Askania-Nova that they allowed themselves to be milked. In 1910, a zoological station appeared on the basis of the zoo. A lot of selection work was carried out. In 1919, Askania-Nova was declared a national park, and then a state steppe reserve. In 1921, an acclimatization center for steppe, forest-steppe and savannah animals was included in the border of the Askania-Nova reserve, in which they were given maximum freedom.
On the territory of the reserve there were military operations of two warriors - Civil and World War II. After the last, the reserve survived the pressure of business executives - they were eager to use the land for grazing. The reserve survived, survived and continued the work of F.E. Faltz-Fein.