Turanian tigers will inhabit
Kazakhstan again. They will be specially brought in from the Netherlands. A
memorandum of cooperation between the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
and the World Wildlife Fund is aimed at implementing a reintroduction program
for this predator species. A few years ago, the Kazakh government announced
plans to restore populations of rare animal species. All necessary preparations
have been made, including the creation of a specially protected natural area
near Lake Balkhash.
«The return of tigers to
Kazakhstan is not only an ecologically significant project but also a symbol of
our efforts to restore natural heritage. The parties have signed an agreement,
including a contract for the donation of two tigers – a female and a male. The
relocation to the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve is planned for this autumn.
The tigers will also be kept in an aviary complex on a permanent basis for
further breeding in semi-wild conditions. The offspring will be released into
the wild at the age of 1.5 to two years, using satellite collars for subsequent
monitoring,» said Zhansaya Temirzhan, spokesperson for the Kazakh Ministry of
Ecology and Natural Resources.
It is also planned to relocate a
group of Amur tigers from Russia, but not earlier than in five years. The
corresponding agreement on the reintroduction of the feline predator was signed
back in 2022.
