Efforts to protect wildlife in Kazakhstan, particularly rare and endangered species, have begun yielding results. Animals listed in the national Red Book are increasingly venturing into human settlements. While some encounters are harmless or even humorous, others pose real dangers.

A Curious Visitor in Serebryansk

On August 18, a large brown bear wandered into the central square of Serebryansk, a city in East Kazakhstan. CCTV footage captured the bear approaching the city administration building. 

The bear had previously been seen on the city’s outskirts in early August, prompting residents to alert the forestry and hunting emergency response team. These teams are typically dispatched to relocate animals in distress or posing threats. However, the inspectors were unable to locate the bear, and it eventually made its way to city hall.

Local residents responded with humor, joking on social media that the bear had come to pay a fine or meet the mayor. Despite the levity, city officials issued a serious warning, urging residents to stay indoors after 6 p.m. until the bear could be safely relocated. They also cautioned that feeding the bear or attempting selfies could be fatal.

The authorities also reminded the public of basic safety rules in areas inhabited by predators: never approach bear cubs, as their mothers may become aggressive, and do not attempt to run from a bear unless immediate shelter is available. Even well-fed bears can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Bear sightings are relatively common in East Kazakhstan, with reports this summer from Ridder, the Sibinsk Lakes area, and the village of Bobrovka in Glubokovsky district.

Bears in the Red Book and Beyond

Two subspecies of brown bears inhabit Kazakhstan: the Tianshan brown bear, which lives in the Tian Shan and Dzungarian Alatau mountains, and the South Siberian brown bear, found in the Altai region. The Tian Shan brown bear is listed in Kazakhstan’s Red Book of endangered species, while the South Siberian bear is still legally hunted under regulated conditions. 

According to the Ministry of Ecology, the South Siberian brown bear population rose from 3,265 in 2022 to 3,578 in 2023. Hunting is permitted in limited numbers and only under supervision. 

The red-listed Tianshan brown bear population remains smaller. As of 2023, experts estimated 500-600 individuals nationwide. 

In Ile-Alatau National Park, partly located within Almaty city limits, about 70 Tianshan bears were recorded in 2022. The park regularly hosts educational events to raise awareness of the species. Elsewhere, roughly 270 Tianshan brown bears inhabit Kazakhstan’s portion of the Tien Shan, and more than 350 live in the Zhetysu Alatau. 

Dangerous Neighbors

Despite conservation gains, human-bear encounters can end tragically. A tourist in Serebryansk recalled that in 2023, a female bear and her cubs foraged for food in summer cottages, destroying gardens and evading attempts to drive them away.

A more serious incident occurred in May 2020 in the Almaty region, when a Russian man was fatally attacked by a bear while returning from a fishing trip. Mistaking a bear cub for small game, he approached on foot, prompting a deadly defensive attack from the mother. Authorities later confirmed that the bear was not killed, as the attack had been provoked. 

Snow Leopards Making a Comeback

Kazakhstan has also seen a resurgence in its population of snow leopards (irbis), another species listed in the Red Book. Hunting them is a criminal offense. According to the Ministry of Ecology, the number of snow leopards has doubled since 2020, reaching approximately 180 individuals by 2024. 

Protected areas covering 3.6 million hectares now shelter about 70% of the snow leopard’s habitat. Conservationists use camera traps and satellite telemetry to monitor the animals, and eleven individuals have been fitted with tracking collars.

In 2023, a female snow leopard and her three cubs were captured on camera in East Kazakhstan. Several more sightings were recorded in the Almaty region. In March 2024, a snow leopard was photographed by a tourist on a snow-covered slope in the Shymbulak Mountains near Almaty.