Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Erlan Nysanbayev, shared plans for the reintroduction of tigers in Kazakhstan.
He reminded that a relevant document for reintroduction was signed with the World Wildlife Fund in 2015.
"Funding is fully provided by them, and this year we are ready to welcome the first tigers. Historically, tigers have always been present here. The last tiger was killed in 1948. They lived at the mouth of the Ili River (Syr Darya), which was an excellent habitat for them. We have prepared the conditions to receive these tigers. The Turan tiger is closely related to the Amur tiger. These two species can withstand very low temperatures. Therefore, we plan to bring two Amur tigers from the Netherlands," Nysanbayev explained in the corridors of the Mazhilis.
According to him, these tigers will be kept in zoos.
"They will not be released into the wild. However, their offspring will adapt to natural conditions. Additionally, next year we expect to receive 3-4 tigers from Russia," the minister added.
Earlier, in 2018, the Ile-Balkhash Reserve was established in Kazakhstan, covering over 415,000 hectares, where the tigers will reside. This area is being restored to create a suitable ecosystem for these predators.
