The Wildlife of
Kazakhstan project is launching a new online platform dedicated to the
country’s fauna. The portal will allow visitors to get a closer look at local
animals, providing up-to-date information. A unique feature of the website is
the opportunity to examine species through portrait photographs, offering
high-quality images that capture animals and birds from various angles in their
natural, comfortable environments. As part of the project, six photo
expeditions have been organized, including visits to the Korgalzhyn state
nature reserve and the Altyn-Emel State National Natural Park. Future plans
include expanding the project and releasing audio encyclopedias, where each
animal or bird photo will be accompanied by the sound they make. The authors
also aim to add information about Kazakhstan’s diverse flora. Notably, the
Wildlife of Kazakhstan project promotes protection of the environment and
fauna.
«Our team, I mean, a
group of people from different organizations like Institute of Zoology,
National Geographic Qazaqstan Magazine, Ecology and Education Fund, worked on
the project for more than six months. And basically,
over the year, they visited almost every zoo in Kazakhstan, also nature
reserves. So, some species that you cannot meet in zoo, they had to find them.
They had to look for them in the wild,» said Kanat Abashov, representative of
Ecoforming Ecology and Education Fund.
«This project will consolidate data on all the
animals and birds inhabiting Kazakhstan on a single portal. It will provide
encyclopedic information with high-quality images in three languages, including
in Kazakh, Russian, and English. The platform features a search engine,
allowing users, from students to researchers, to easily find data on animals by
categories and species. Each species is accompanied by five-six photographs,
along with detailed information on their status, population, and others,» noted
Aibyn Shagalak, Managing Director, National Geographic Qazaqstan magazine.