Amur tiger released into the wild in Kazakhstan for the first time in 70 years - VIDEO
A female Amur tiger that was brought to Kazakhstan from Russia has been released into the wild.
The press service of the Amur Tiger Center autonomous non-profit organization told TASS about this.
Four Amur tigers were brought from Russia to Kazakhstan - a three-year-old male and female, as well as cubs of both sexes.
"An adult female Amur tiger was released into the wild <...>. The historic release into the Ile-Balkhash nature reserve took place as part of the implementation of the interstate program to restore the tiger population in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which is being jointly implemented by the environmental agencies of Russia and Kazakhstan. <…> The release was preceded by tests of readiness for release into the wild. The tigers passed the human-avoidance exam brilliantly: they noticed a person at a distance of 150 m from the enclosure and immediately tried to hide as far away as possible, showing neither curiosity nor aggression," the statement says. The press service noted that the female was released first, since females prefer not to go far. After this, the male will be released into the wild. This sequence will make it possible to observe the female in a situation where neither people nor the tigers themselves yet know what to expect.
"The tiger disappeared in Kazakhstan in 1948, and I would assume that when, in that same year, Vsevolod Sysoyev signed the world's first direct ban on tiger hunting in Khabarovsk Territory, he was guided in part by this data as well. Thanks to the recognition of the direct threat of extinction and the colossal efforts undertaken subsequently, the Amur tiger was preserved. Almost 80 years have passed, and now it is precisely animals from Khabarovsk Territory that are helping to restore the tiger population in Kazakhstan. This historical parallel underscores the depth and level of cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan," the press service quoted the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Amur Tiger Center, Konstantin Chuychenko, as saying.
According to the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Nysanbayev, this project is the result of many years of work by Russian and Kazakh colleagues, scientists, and international partners. He noted that a great deal of work lies ahead in monitoring the tigers and forming a sustainable population.
"Before the release, a satellite collar was placed on the tigress, thanks to which specialists will be able to track the animal's location and respond promptly. Once local specialists have practiced on the female the skills they acquired in Russia for tracking and preventing undesirable situations, should any suddenly arise, it will be possible to release the male," said the Director General of the Amur Tiger Center, Sergei Aramilev, whose words were quoted by the press service.
