evidence: Maly Zhemchuzhny will become a nature reserve In the Astrakhan Oblast, it is planned to join Maly Zhemchuzhny Island to the Astrakhanskiy State Biosphere Nature Reserve. The island is unique and needs a special protected status. There, in spring and autumn, you can see large haul outs of the Caspian seal (the endemic species to the Caspian, which is under threat of extinction). On Maly Zhemchuzhny, there are also large colonies of birds – the great black-headed gull, Caspian tern, and gull. This important project of the nature reserve has been supported by the administration of the Astrakhan Oblast, but finally the issue will be resolved only after its coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia, since Maly Zhemchuzhny Natural Monument and the nature reserve have a protected status of federal significance.