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Endangered Great Bustard Named Tajikistan’s Bird of the Year

The great bustard, also known as the red-breasted bustard, has been named the bird of the year for 2025 in Tajikistan. The decision, announced on December 11, followed a vote by the National Academy of Sciences. The rare bird, locally called dugdogi zebo, is listed in both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the Red Book of Tajikistan, signifying its endangered status. Since 2007, Tajikistan has annually designated a bird of the year to raise awareness about avian conservation. Previous honorees include an owl, corncrake, pheasant, paradise flycatcher, Tibetan eagle, peregrine falcon, white stork, and oriole. The common turtle dove has held the title this year. The great bustard resides in Tajikistan as both a breeding and migratory species. Experts estimate that only 23 breeding pairs inhabit the country, though the population temporarily rises to 50-60 individuals during migration periods. Slightly larger than a domestic hen, male great bustards have a body length of 65-75 cm and weigh between 1.8 and 3.2 kg, significantly smaller than the common bustard, which can weigh up to 15 kg. Omnivorous by nature, the bird’s diet includes fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, locusts, beetles, and small reptiles. Known for their cautious behavior, great bustards avoid human contact and prefer to hide or flee when threatened. Their average lifespan in the wild is approximately 20 years. Globally, the International Bustard Conservation Foundation, supported by the UAE government, leads efforts to protect the species. To date, the foundation has bred over 480,000 bustards in captivity and released 285,000 into the wild. In Kazakhstan, the foundation releases great bustards into the wild while simultaneously issuing hunting licenses for $1,280 per bird, catering to Arab hunters. Uzbekistan hosts an Emirati conservation center in the Kyzylkum Desert, dedicated to breeding and protecting the species, as well as releasing them into their natural habitat. Despite these international initiatives, Tajikistan has yet to leverage Arab funding or hunting tourism to support conservation efforts. Utilizing such resources could bolster the great bustard population while generating additional economic benefits.

Turan Tiger Nature Reserve Lake Balkhash WWF wildlife Wildlife Conservation Environment

Tigers Return to Kazakhstan: A New Home for Bogdana and Kuma

A pair of Amur tigers from the Netherlands has been brought to Kazakhstan; tigers are not the only animals that Kazakhstan is getting back. A few days ago, a long-awaited pair of tigers, bred in a special reserve in the Netherlands, arrived in Kazakhstan. Online, some worried that the tigers would not survive in the harsh climate, or would attack livestock and people. According to WWF Netherlands wildlife expert, Geert Poleta, these fears are unfounded. For several years now, the international NGO, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), together with the Government of Kazakhstan, has been implementing a program to return tigers to Pribalkhashye. The Amur tiger is a relative of the extinct Turanian breed. Historically, the habitat of the Turanian tiger in the country was reed thickets and floodplain forests along the banks of the Ili and Syr Darya rivers. The extermination of the animal began during the time of the Russian Empire, and the last Kazakh tiger was killed in 1948. Decades later, wild cats are returning to Kazakhstan. As experts point out, this event is an essential step in restoring the ecosystem and lost biodiversity. Bogdana and Kuma, the names of the Amur tigers, flew for more than a day from the Dutch Holy Lion specialized center for predators at the Landgoed Hoenderdaell Zoo to the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve. Permanent caretakers accompanied them. At the Dutch zoo, “the animals were kept in separate spacious enclosures with minimal contact with visitors," Gert Polet, a wildlife expert at WWF Netherlands explained. "Thanks to the spacious territory of the center, the tigers had their own area to live in the most natural conditions possible. In the summer of 2024, a Memorandum was signed between the Committee of Forestry and Wildlife of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Dutch center, which provides for the free transfer of two tigers to Kazakhstan for further breeding and the release of their offspring.” There is no need to fear that the big cats will harm residents in their new and unfamiliar conditions, as they will be kept under strict supervision. “Zoo tigers cannot be returned to the wild. The arriving tigers will never leave the territory of their enclosure. They were brought in for breeding and raising offspring. If the tiger's birth project is successful, the adults will be moved to another enclosure, located at a center of the reserve which will be open to visitors,” Polet stated. He believes that Bogdana and Kuma have a 60% chance of having cubs. Tiger cubs born in the enclosure of the Ile-Balkhash reserve will be reared following international standards and protocols. At one and a half to two years old, they will be prepared for release into the wild. In addition, the new residents of the reserve will be monitored constantly by video and cared for by a dedicated member of staff. “Over the past year, a veterinarian from the Zholbarys Association has been trained in various clinics and zoos in Russia. She also visited the...

wildlife

Central Asian Countries Work together to Protect Migratory Species

The 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14) is taking place from February 12th to 17th in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan’s Minister for Ecology and Environmental Protection, Aziz Abdukhakimov commented on February 11th: “Over the next five days, we will be discussing a range of issues related to migratory species, including the socio-economic and environmental challenges of climate change. Our goal is to find solutions and develop effective plans for the conservation of migratory species, which play a vital role in maintaining ecosystems and a healthy planet.” As part of the conference, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have joined the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia. The document was signed by Abdukhakimov and his Kazakh and Kyrgyz counterparts. “The memorandum provides for the removal of obstacles to the migration of wild animals and the creation of favorable conditions for their migration from one territory to another. This will protect migrating animals and thereby preserve biodiversity. In addition, it will strengthen the unity of the Central Asian countries in this direction,” the Uzbek minister said. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have also joined their efforts to preserve the wildlife of the Ustyurt Plateau. On February 11th a Memorandum of Cooperation in the conservation of wildlife of the Ustyurt Plateau was signed between Minister Abdukhakimov and the Deputy Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, Nurken Sharbiev.

wildlife

Leopard Shot Dead In Turkmenistan

A leopard was recently shot dead in the Etrek district of Balkan province, Turkmenistan. According to local press it was killed by a shepherd on December 28th. Soon after the incident police and reserve staff arrived at the site to conduct an investigation. The shepherd had his gun confiscated and was fined 1,700 manat ($486 at the state exchange rate or $87 at the black market rate). The leopard’s body was disposed of by reserve staff. According to reports the leopard killed was a juvenile. Young leopards are often less cautious and more likely to attack livestock. The leopard population in Turkmenistan has been reduced to a critically low level of less than 100 individuals. It is known that they live in the Kopetdag Mountains, as well as in the Badkhyz region. They are not often seen in the district where the leopard was killed, but they do occasionally migrate there.