[1][2] In the 20th century, at the time of the Kazakh SSR, the territory was used as a wintering pasture ground for numerous herds of cattle and overgrazing led to severe depletion of the vegetation.

Nowadays the Zhusandala Plain has recovered as grazing has been reduced to a relatively low intensity.

[3][4] The plain is elongated, extending from ESE to WNW between the northeastern slopes of the Chu-Ili Range and the southern edge of the Taukum desert.

It consists of mostly steppe in the sloping upper elevations near the hills, giving way to semi-desert in zones near the Taukum.

Other bird species include the eastern imperial eagle, lesser kestrel, Eurasian stone-curlew, greater sand plover, Caspian plover, Pallas's sandgrouse, black-bellied sandgrouse, greater short-toed lark, Sykes's warbler, Asian desert warbler, desert wheatear and the rufous-tailed scrub robin, among others.