Key species
Fall 2025 migration update: young steppe eagles take flight
As part of Kazakhstan’s fall 2025 migration season, nine juvenile steppe eagles began their journeys to wintering grounds in western Kazakhstan in September, marking the young birds’ first migrations. Eight eagles moved westward toward the Caucasus along the Afro-Eurasian Flyway, while one individual, named Klyuvik, headed south across the border into Uzbekistan. Scientists from the…
Read MoreTigers come roaring back to Kazakhstan
In September 2024, two adult Amur tigers—12-year-old female Bodhana and nine-year-old male Kuma—were translocated from a sanctuary in the Netherlands to Kazakhstan’s Ili-Balkhash Nature Reserve, marking the end of almost 70 years without tigers in the region. The homecoming is one stage of a long-term program to revive Kazakhstan’s lost tiger population and restore the…
Read MoreAnother “Magnificent Seven” Herd Arrives in Kazakhstan
Earlier this month seven Przewalski’s horses arrived in Kazakhstan, marking the second homecoming within a year under the “Return of the Wild Horses” project. On June 2, two Czech military transport planes carried three horses from the Prague Zoo and four from Hungary’s Hortobagy National Park to Arkalyk airport in northern Kazakhstan. From there, they…
Read MoreWelcome home, feathered friends!
In recent weeks three juvenile cinereous vultures—Asu, Karasha, and Zhetpys—and one intrepid imperial eagle, Tomiris, have returned to Kazakhstan from their winter sojourns. First, news about the cinereous vultures. Asu’s journey home from India took him through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Asu lingered for two weeks in Kyrgyzstan visiting the Talas Mountains near…
Read MoreEarth Day 2025: A shared future for renewable energy and wildlife
Next week marks the 55th anniversary of the first Earth Day— a movement that began in the United States and has since grown into a global celebration, now engaging more than one billion people worldwide. This year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” invites everyone to rally behind renewable energy solutions and accelerate the transition toward…
Read MoreDo you know where tulips originated?
Tulipa patens_Ulytausky raion Kazakhstan Tulips are practically synonymous with the Netherlands, known for its vast fields, varieties, and celebrations of these vibrant flowers. However, there’s another country that can lay claim to occupying a prominent place in tulip history and cultivation—Kazakhstan. While it’s a little-known fact, the story of the tulip began in Central…
Read MoreOne year in
Greetings, friends! It’s early spring and we want to share updates about our first year and future plans. There is a whole lot of chaos and uncertainty in the world right now, but we are committed to supporting and sustaining wildlife and the people who care for it in Kazakhstan. It’s what we do! 2024…
Read MoreKulan, welcome to the neighborhood!
The seven Przewalski’s horses that took up residence at the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve in June are no longer the newcomers, thanks to the recent arrival of Asiatic wild asses, or kulan. Wild asses are also sometimes called onagers (so many names!). In early October, 24 kulan were relocated from the eastern part of…
Read MoreField work snapshot: improvements made to manul camera trap network
A team of researchers from the Manul Working Group and Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK) recently completed the upgrade and maintenance of the manul (Pallas’s cat) camera trap monitoring network in central Kazakhstan, actions that will improve accuracy of population counts, expand understanding of the cat’s behavior, and shed additional insights…
Read MoreSummer 2024 fieldwork – horses, birds, and bats, oh my!
We are nearing the half-year mark since we started this new chapter. During that time, we have established and strengthened relationships with partners in Kazakhstan, promoted wildlife-focused initiatives, and told stories about the region’s wildlife. Here are a few highlights: Przewalski’s horses: Homecoming In June we reported on the return of Przewalski’s horses to their…
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