More than 70 years after the Turan tiger disappeared from Kazakhstan, the country is taking a significant step toward the species’ recovery.
The female Amur tiger, named Umit—which means “hope” in Kazakh— became the first to be released into the wild, at the Ile-Balkash Nature Reserve.
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Umit was transported from Russia along with three other tigers as part of a species reintroduction program. Before her release, she remained under close observation for two months so that experts could assess her health, behavior, and hunting abilities.
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For her safety, as well as to protect local residents, she is wearing a satellite tracking collar, and local authorities will alert the villages if she comes within a short distance.
The program also aims to restore the tigers’ natural prey. Since 2018, officials have reintroduced Bukhara deer and transported wild asses (kulan) to the sanctuary to ensure an adequate food supply for the predators.
It is estimated that these tigers need to hunt approximately 60–70 large animals per year in order to survive and remain healthy.
Scientists chose Amur tigers because genetic research has shown that they are the closest living relative of the extinct Turan tiger. If the program is successful and a self-sustaining wild population is established, Kazakhstan will become the first country in the world to reintroduce tigers to a region from which they had completely disappeared.
Source: Topetmou.gr
