Askania-Nova is capturing the sounds of the Ukrainian steppe, which may be lost forever

The "Askania-Nova" Biosphere Reserve has begun work on a project to preserve the sounds of the Ukrainian steppes. This includes both contemporary recordings from accessible areas and archival audio recordings of the steppes that are currently inaccessible due to the Russian occupation and destruction. Among them are the sounds of the Askania steppe.

This was reported on the reserve’s official page.

The initiative is being implemented as part of the“Real Steppe” project, which the reserve is carrying out in collaboration with Eco-Halych: Wildlife Rehab and the Ukrainian International Institute for the Blind, with support from the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation as part of the “Social Resilience Through Culture” grant program.

The reserve noted that as early as August, they plan to present an unusual exhibition that “cannot be seen, but can be heard.” Its main idea will be to introduce visitors to the sounds of the Ukrainian steppe, including those territories currently under occupation.

The project’s creators also asked Ukrainians what sounds they associate with the steppe, encouraging them to share their memories and impressions.

Recently, Intent reported that two large-scale fires broke out in the occupied “Askania-Nova” Biosphere Reserve named after F. E. Falts-Fein, which destroyed nearly 2,000 hectares of unique protected steppe. The fire engulfed areas where plants listed in Ukraine’s Red and Green Books grow.

Earlier, officials at the “Askania-Nova” reserve warned of the threat ofanimal deaths due to a lack of forage for ungulates following the drought of 2025. Experts warned that without additional feed, a mass die-off of animals could occur this winter.

Last June, the Budzhak Town Council, the F.E. Falz-Fein“Askania-Nova” Biosphere Reserve, and the non-governmental organization Rewilding Ukraine signed a memorandum of trilateral cooperation. The document provides for the creation of the Center for the Restoration of Steppe Biodiversity, which will serve as a powerful hub for the conservation and restoration of rare animals, birds, reptiles, and steppe ecosystems in southern Ukraine.

Андрій Колісніченко