Key species
Kazakhstan welcomes a new generation of Przewalski’s horses
Two Przewalski’s horse foals have been born on Kazakhstan’s steppe, marking a major milestone in the country’s effort to restore the world’s last surviving wild horse to part of its historic range.The births took place at the Alibi Reintroduction Center in Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve, where reintroduced horses are being acclimated before release into…
Read MoreVeterinary painkillers pose threat to central Asian vultures
Vultures are misunderstood creatures, often viewed with disgust. Nonetheless, these underappreciated birds perform one of nature’s most important sanitation services, removing carcasses before they decay and helping to prevent the spread of infectious disease. By rapidly stripping carcasses, vultures reduce opportunities for dangerous bacteria and other pathogens to spread, their highly acidic stomach juices destroying…
Read MoreRestoring the iconic Aport apple in the birthplace of apples
Kazakhstan is widely recognized as the birthplace of the modern apple. Today, the country is drawing on its extraordinary apple heritage to revive the Aport, a once world-famous variety now considered at risk of disappearing. Running from 2024 to 2028, the national Aport Revival Program aims to produce enough healthy planting material to reestablish large-scale…
Read MoreKazakhstan’s tiger comeback: a Global Tiger Day update
Siberian Tiger at Zurich Zoo; Wikimedia commons; Photo credit: albinfo; GNU Free Documentation License, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License Global Tiger Day, observed each year on July 29, raises awareness of the world’s remaining wild tigers and the conservation efforts needed to protect them. This year, the observance offers a timely opportunity to revisit Kazakhstan’s Amur tiger reintroduction program,…
Read MoreSteppe eagle global action plan approved at UN meeting on migratory species
Things are looking up for migratory species, the result of recently concluded UN meetings in Brazil. At the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), held from 23–29 March 2026, governments approved or upgraded action plans and expanded protection for dozens of migratory species worldwide. Among…
Read MoreKazakhstan crowns Bird of the Year: the common blackbird
The common blackbird (Turdus merula) was named Kazakhstan’s bird of the year, securing 65 percent of the vote organized by the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan. Its only rival was the mallard duck, which it surpassed by a wide margin. Also known as the Eurasian blackbird or black thrush, this medium-sized…
Read MoreRecent trade decisions are the next test for saiga antelope
Oh, the remarkable resilience of the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica)! Over recent decades, this flagship species of the Eurasian steppe endured precipitous declines in populations driven by mass mortality events and human-induced pressures, bringing it to the brink of extinction in Kazakhstan. Yet, through the sustained efforts of governments, scientists, local communities, and international conservation…
Read MoreJust another day in the life of a wildlife biologist!
Manul Working Group (MWG) partners recently deployed six camera traps in Kazakhstan’s Altyn Emel National Park, an effort to help monitor the manul in the country’s southeastern region. Altyn Emel rangers joined the fieldwork, guiding specialists through the park and assisting with logistics. These are the first camera traps in Altyn Emel placed specifically to…
Read More2026 will mark another milestone for tiger restoration in Kazakhstan
Siberian Tiger at Zurich Zoo; Wikimedia commons; Photo credit: albinfo; GNU Free Documentation License, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Free_Documentation_License In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan’s Amur tiger reintroduction program will reach another pivotal milestone with the planned arrival of a small group of tigers from Russia. Between January and June, three to four Amur tigers are expected to…
Read MoreKulans at Altyn Dala released into the wild
Kazakhstan’s Asiatic wild ass (kulan) reintroduction program has reached another milestone with the late summer release of animals from the Altyn Dala acclimatization enclosure into the wild. After nearly a century of absence in this region, the kulans are once again roaming free across the Torgai steppe of central Kazakhstan. For the past year, the…
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