Kazakhstan hopes to repopulate its wetlands with tigers from the Netherlands

Kazakhstan is preparing to reintroduce tigers to its land, starting with two Amur tigers that will soon arrive from the Netherlands. In 2025, more tigers will be brought from Russia, according to the Ministry of Ecology.

On Sept. 18, Minister of Ecology Yerlan Nyssanbayev announced that Kazakhstan is ready to receive the tigers.

«Historically, tigers have always inhabited our land. The last species was killed in 1948. They lived in the Ili River delta, which was an ideal habitat. We have prepared a suitable environment to accommodate these tigers. The now-extinct Turanian tiger, a close relative of the Amur tiger, was also able to tolerate very low temperatures. Therefore, we plan to bring two Amur tigers from the Netherlands,» said the minister.

Nyssanbayev noted that upon arrival, the tigers will be kept at a zoo, but their offspring will be released into the wild. The Ministry of Ecology, in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund, is leading the tiger restoration project, with the fund fully financing the importation of the tigers to Kazakhstan. Nyssanbayev also mentioned that an additional three or four tigers will be brought from Russia in 2025.

Although the ministry initially planned to release Amur tigers brought from Russia into the wild, it will take at least five years before the animals can be introduced into their natural habitat. Kazakhstan and Russia signed a tiger reintroduction agreement in 2022. A special zone has been established near Lake Balkhash to restore the tiger population.