Tigers return to Kazakhstan after 70 years of extinction

tigers they play a Important role in ecosystem conservationSince, as predators, they contribute to maintaining their balance and functionality. But their importance does not protect them danger of extinctionAnd the species – in the wild – is experiencing global decline.

Seventy years ago, hunting wiped out the last wild tigers in Kazakhstan (where they historically lived). However, we have good news: it’s now possible come back Thanks to a reintroduction program led by the Government of Kazakhstan with support from WWF and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Bodhna and Kuma, the couple who started it all

There are currently two heroes for the return of tigers to Kazakhstan: Bodhan and Kuma, a pair of Amur tigers, who have been relocated From Anna Paulona Sanctuary (Netherlands) to Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve (Kazakhstan). Both male and female tigers will be housed in a three-hectare semi-natural enclosure in this reserve and are expected to their future offspring are freed To become the first wild tiger to live in the region for decades.

On the other hand, it highlights that the Bodhan and Kuma translation is the first of many planned in the coming years, and that Objective To create a healthy population of 50 wild tigers by 2035Starting with this pioneering breeding pair.

“Today marks a historic conservation milestone in the recovery of tigers in Kazakhstan and Central Asia,” Stuart Chapman, head of WWF’s Tigers Alive program, said in a statement. return them to their historical homelandBut To reclaim the nature of the entire ecosystem,

Reintroducing prey species is key to the project

Laura Moreno, head of WWF Species Programme, explains National Geographic Spain Before this first reintroduction, prior work has been carried out including, for example, selection of habitats and analysis of prey availability.

To ensure the feasibility of the project and to recover both the tigers and the ecosystem, the area has been reforested. Reforestation of more than 50 hectares of native trees and this Reintroduction of key prey species for tigersWhich includes endangered species like Bukhara deer and Kulan (Asiatic wild ass).

,Work on rare species restoration is a high priority for Kazakhstan“At the ecological level, it is as important to restore our biodiversity chains as it is to reintroduce the tiger here,” Daniyar Turgambayev, deputy minister of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, said in a statement. Who once lived in this area,” he added.

“A historical process”

On the other hand, Moreno points out that it was necessary to carry out this first reproduction even before Preparedness at the social level for local communities to support the project“And in this case the population is convinced that this is the approach that should be taken,” explains the head of WWF’s species programme.

Adilbaev Zhasar, head of the local community group “Oildastar”, is part of the population around the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve who has supported the project, and explains why: “With the launch of the tiger reintroduction program we witness important changes: Nature and the rebirth of our Karoi people.”

Jhasar says that in addition to restoring the lost ecosystem, he feels the project is also replenishing the local population.Proud to participate in a historic process“And besides, it’s giving them new opportunities for small growth Companies and new positions For example, thanks to the subsidies they receive to be able to dedicate themselves to work in the city Tourism Of tiger.

A small encouragement for the delicate situation of the tiger

Tigers (panthera tigris) are classified as species in danger of extinction According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). At the beginning of the 20th century, it was estimated that there were about 100,000 tigers in the forest.But this figure has reduced significantly year after year. 2013 they barely survived 3,000 copies,

Laura Moreno explains: “But compared to those 3,000 tigers in the wild, there are 20,000 tigers in captivity. We are making the species extinct, it disappears in nature, while interest in keeping it in captivity grows“However, there are small encouraging signs.

Moreno reported that, in 2016, for the first time in decades, the wild tiger population saw a slight increase, reaching 3,800 specimens. “It’s a small increase, but it gives hope even in the midst of a downturn,” he added. Reproduction in Kazakhstan could become one of them.