Kazakhstan: Return of the Tiger

Lumbering camels and nimble horses are common sights on the Kazakh steppe, but if you spotted a prowling tiger, you’d probably do a double take. In a few years, though, the striped felines may not be such a surprise: Astana is joining forces with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in an ambitious bid to reintroduce tigers to the Central Asian state.

The project seeks to bring these proud beasts from the Russian Far East and settle them in southern Kazakhstan in an area deemed by experts to offer a suitable habitat.

The tigers won’t replace the Caspian tiger (panthera tigris virgata) that once made its home in Kazakhstan and all over the Caspian region. Last spotted in the wild in the 1970s, that breed was driven to extinction by poaching and habitat loss, and there are none in captivity.

But all is not lost for Kazakhstan’s tiger lovers: It’s hoped that the Amur tiger, which is genetically identical to its Caspian cousin, will eagerly take up the relocation offer and adapt smoothly to the Ili River Delta south of Lake Balkhash, where 400,000 hectares of suitable habitat have been identified.

“With a strong plan and proper protections in place, tigers can again roam the forests and landscapes of Central Asia,” WWF-Russia Director Igor Chestin said as the new program was announced on April 14.

He was among WWF officials Prime Minister Karim Masimov met with in March, and now the WWF is teaming up with Kazakhstan’s Environment Ministry to design detailed plans to bring the tiger back.