International Tiger Day is celebrated worldwide every year on July 29, including in Central Asia. To take stock since the arrival of tigers in our country for the reintroduction of this wild feline species, the editorial team spoke with Ekaterina Nakashidze, Director of WWF Central Asia.
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The Day of the Tiger: How Striped Cats Live in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is working on restoring the tiger population, particularly the Turanian tiger, which historically inhabited the lower Syr Darya more than 70 years ago. To this end, Amur tigers have been introduced into the Ile-Balkhash Reserve. Ahead of International Tiger Day, Zakon.kz found out how they have adapted.
It has been about a year since the historic event — the return of tigers to Kazakhstan. For the first time in nearly 80 years, this rare and majestic predator has reappeared in the country. Today, two wild cats — the tigress Bogdana and the tiger Kuma — live in a special enclosure within the Ile-Balkhash Reserve.
According to zoologists, the reintroduction of tigers is not just an environmental initiative but a strategically important step toward restoring Kazakhstan’s ecosystem and lost biodiversity. If the tiger population recovery program is successfully implemented, Kazakhstan could officially become the 14th country in the world where this rare predator lives.
We sought answers to the questions that matter most to Kazakhstanis: How have the relocated tigers been feeling since their arrival? How successful has their adaptation to the new environment been? What do they eat, and how often are they fed? Who takes care of them? And the most pressing question: what measures are being taken to reduce the risk of potential conflicts between the tigers and local residents?
– Ekaterina, it’s been almost a year since the first tigers arrived in Kazakhstan. How significant is this event, and was there any reaction from the international community and, in particular, the scientific world?
– Without a doubt, this is a historic milestone. For the first time in many decades, a tiger has once again set foot on the land of Kazakhstan, where it had completely disappeared from the wild. But this is not just about bringing back a single species — it is about restoring an entire ecosystem and taking a crucial step toward a sustainable future for the region.
The full version of the interview is available on the website of WWF Central Asia’s media partner — zakon.kz