Mammals
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 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 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…
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 MoreRare Persian leopard returns to Kazakhstan’s Ustyurt Plateau
After decades of absence, the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana) is reestablishing its presence on the Ustyurt Plateau, located in the Mangystau region in southwestern Kazakhstan. Over the past 16 months, one specific cat has been captured on camera traps deployed in the plateau’s protected areas, most recently in footage taken in Kyzylsai Regional Nature…
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 More