Main / Sights

VALLEY OF DEATH

In the head of the Geysernaya river at the bottom of the Kihpinych volcano a narrow ground of 2 km length and 100-500 m width, where animals always die, is located.

Special research showed that animals and birds die because of the high concentration of poisonous gases: mainly, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, carbon sulphur, etc.

The Valley of Death was discovered only in the end of July of 1975 by the volcanologist V.L. Leonov and the reserve forester V.S. Kalyaev (independently). It is remarkable that this area was previously inspected by geologists. Besides, in 300 m from the main death ground (MDG) the tourists midday pitch was located for those who went between the Uzon and the Valley of geysers.

In 1975-1983 the reserve workers regularly inspected the area. They collected more than 200 of animals and birds bodies. Initially, 12 species of mammals, 15 species of birds, and a lot of insects were identified. There were more bodies of small mouse-like rodents and sparrow-like birds, but bears, foxes, wolverines, crows, Steller's sea eagle were also found. Now this list have enlarged. Several lynxes and golden eagles died, too. The dog of the reserve worker also died.

The interesting ecological chain was formed: small sparrow-like birds die first in spring in the snow wells, then foxes die attracted by the bodies smell, then wolverines and bears, crows and golden eagles. But the amount of dead bodies decreases if the bodies are taken away, and the chain interrupts.

The Valley of Death is located on the ground where gas streams come up from the depth. The sulphur sediment is observed everywhere - at the river sill, rocks, banks. The gas concentrates especially strong in sunless windless weather in snow washouts and cutouts. The poisonous gases concentration is not dangerous at the open and blow off areas.

The time of deaths coincides with the snowless period (May-October).

The vegetable-feeders (for example, ground squirrels, hares, mouse hares, partridges) die less frequently - grassless slopes and the bottom of the valley do not attract them.
Phenomenally, but the bodies do not decay for a long period of time. It turns out that in the poisonous atmosphere conditions the oxidative activity of bacteria is lowered.

The composition of the poisonous gas in Kamchatka's Valley of Death is more complex (that is why more aggressive and dangerous) than in the typical "Valley of Death", it doesn't have analogues.