15 November 2026
("Tiligul" Regional Landscape Park. PHOTO: tiligul.com)
The opposite shores of the Tiligul Estuary are connected by a shared body of water but separated by an administrative boundary. The western shore of the estuary belongs to the Odesa Oblast, while the eastern shore belongs to the Mykolaiv Oblast. On the shores of this single estuary, there are two independent nature reserve areas with the same name—the “Tiligul” Regional Landscape Parks. The Mykolaiv park was established first, in 1995, and the Odesa park followed two years later. In this installment of our regular series “TheAmazing South,” we’ll focus on the Mykolaiv park.
The “Tiligulsky” Regional Landscape Park in the Mykolaiv region covers part of the water area and the eastern coast of the estuary of the same name. Its total area is 8,195.4 hectares. The park is located in the Mykolaiv District, within the territories of the Berezan and Kobliv communities.
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Tiligul Regional Landscape Park. PHOTO: I. Koshkovsky
The Tiligul Estuary formed on the site of an ancient river valley that was flooded by seawater. The body of water is characterized by significant variations in depth: shallow waters predominate near the shores, while in the deepest parts, the depth exceeds 20 meters.
The park was established to preserve the natural ecosystems of the estuary and its coastline. It features a combination of fescue-feather grass steppes, vegetation on rocky slopes, shrub thickets, and wetlands. The area is of particular importance to birds that nest here, stop over during seasonal migrations, and overwinter.
The conservation value of the Tiligul Estuary is also recognized internationally. It has the status of a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, is part of the European Emerald Network, and is designated as a key ornithological area.
The shores of the Tiligul Estuary were shaped by various natural processes. In some areas, waves eroded the slopes, forming steep cliffs, while in others, they deposited sand and shell material. This is how the sand-and-shell spits were formed, which extend far into the estuary’s waters and, in some places, enclose shallow bays protected from the waves.
The Mykolaiv coast is hometo a number of such natural formations, including the Chylova, Anatolivska, Otamanska, and Ukrainska spits.
The Chylova Spit is located near the village of Ukrainka. It is also called the Great Ukrainian Spit, and among kitesurfing enthusiasts, it is known as the Second Spit. Thanks to its exposure to open winds and the adjacent shallow waters, this area has become a popular spot for outdoor recreation.
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Chilova Spit. PHOTO: nikvesti.com
The Anatolivska Spit is located further north, near the village of Anatolivka. It is one of the natural areas within the regional landscape park where the sandy-shell landscapes characteristic of the estuary coast have been preserved. In 2023, scientists surveyed this and other spits along the Mykolaiv coast, studying natural habitats, rare plant and animal species, and the impact of human activity on their condition.
Areas of pristine Black Sea steppe have been preserved on the slopes of ravines and along the shores of the Tiligul Estuary. In particular, one of the largest pristine steppe areas in southern Ukraine is located in the vicinity of Tashynska Bay and the mouth of the Tsarega River.
The flora of the Mykolaiv Regional Landscape Park “Tiligul” includes about 620 species of vascular plants, 23 of which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. Rare plant communities protected under Ukraine’s Green Book have also been preserved here.
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Vegetation of the “Tiligulsky” Regional Landscape Park. PHOTO: static.rayon.in.ua
On the steppe slopes and watersheds, hairy feather grass, Lessing’s feather grass, and Ukrainian feather grass grow. During the heading stage, these grasses give the steppe its characteristic silvery hue. On limestone slopes, one can find Scythian thistle, two-spiked ephedra, and steppe almond—plants adapted to arid conditions.
The slopes become especially picturesque in late winter and spring, when Elwes’s snowdrop, reticulated crocus, multicolored snowdrop, the Bug and Schrenk tulips, and spring adonis. Some of these plants are early-spring ephemeroids: they quickly complete their flowering and growing seasons, and after their aboveground parts die off, they survive thanks to their underground organs.
The Tiligul Estuary is an important site for bird nesting, wintering, and stopover during seasonal migrations. According to the Mykolaiv Regional Ecology Department, approximately 280 bird species have been recorded here, more than 40 of which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and other conservation lists.
The “Lower Tiligul Estuary” ornithological reserve of local significance, established in 1976, plays a special role in the conservation of bird life. It is located near Koblevo, covers an area of 120 hectares, and has been part of the Mykolaiv Regional Landscape Park “Tiligul” since 1995. The reserve was established to protect the nesting sites and seasonal gathering places of waterfowl and shorebirds.
During spring and fall migrations, up to 50,000 birds sometimes gather on the estuary and its shores. Here you can see pelicans, cormorants, herons, black-winged stilts, black-headed gulls, and various species of sandpipers and terns. During migration, the birds find food and rest in the shallow coastal waters, and for many species, the estuary is also a nesting site.
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A colony of spotted terns on the Tiligul Estuary. PHOTO: I. Gerzhyk
In May 2020, pink flamingos were recorded in the Tiligul Estuary for the first time in the history of observations. Ornithologists from the Mykolaiv Park counted five individuals of these birds, which are rare in Ukraine. Flamingos feed on small aquatic organisms, particularly Artemia crustaceans, which they find in shallow, salty bodies of water.
In the lower reaches of the Tiligul Estuary, there are natural islands formed by the accumulation of sand and shell sediments. They are covered with vegetation adapted to saline soils, as well as reed beds. These small patches of land are important nesting sites for birds; however, during strong winds, the water level near the islands can rise, putting the nests at risk of flooding. Other threats to bird colonies include the overgrowth of nesting areas with vegetation and terrestrial predators.
To protect bird nests from flooding and ground-based predators, the “Islands of Birds” environmental project was launched in 2021 within the Mykolaiv Regional Landscape Park “Tiligulsky.” As part of the project, eight artificial island platforms with a total area of 1,500 m² were constructed. They were placed in shallow waters near the Tiligul Spit, not far from Koblevo.
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Artificial “Bird Islands.” PHOTO: dtek.com
The structures were raised above the water and covered with natural materials—straw, hay, and sea pebbles. This reduces the risk of the nests being flooded and makes it harder for land-based predators to reach them. River and spotted terns, slender-billed gulls, as well as rare bird species—including black-winged stilts, long-legged sandpipers, and common sandpipers—nest on the artificial islands.
The project has already shown significant results. While 195 pairs of birds nested on the first platforms in 2021, that number rose to 385 in 2024 and reached 858 pairs in 2025. Thus, over four years, the number of nesting pairs has more than quadrupled.
In the mid-2010s, commercial oyster farming began in the Tiligul Estuary. The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is used for this purpose—a species native to other regions of the world and not part of the Black Sea’s native fauna.
Young oysters are brought in from hatcheries and raised in the estuary’s saltwater until they reach market size. The oysters are kept in special mesh cages attached to structures in the water. The cultivation process can take over a year. Oysters feed on microscopic algae and other organic matter that they filter from the water.
The Tiligul Estuary has long attracted enthusiasts of sailing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing. The open waters and shallow areas near the sandbars provide ideal conditions for these sports. Even during a full-scale war, organized sailing competitions continue to be held on the estuary.
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Sailing competitions on the Tiligul Estuary. PHOTO: nikvesti.com
In particular, on August 8, 2026, the “Sails of Unity” regatta took place here as part of the Tiligul Games-2026 regional youth games. A total of 104 young athletes from the Mykolaiv region, Odesa, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, and the Kyiv region participated in the Mykolaiv Region Open Sailing Cup. They competed on racing sailboats of various classes. The competition was dedicated to the 139th anniversary of the Mykolaiv Yacht Club.
The development of water sports on the Tiligul must take into account the area’s status as a nature reserve. After all, the very sandbars and shallow waters that attract athletes and tourists also serve as resting and nesting grounds for thousands of birds.
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