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Return of the tiger to the Ili delta and Lake Balkhash

The Turan (Caspian) tiger was wiped out in Kazakhstan by 1948. Kazakhstan is restoring a tiger population in the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve (established in 2018) using Amur tigers.

In 2024 a pair of tigers from the Netherlands (Bogdana and Kuma) arrived at the reserve, followed in May 2026 by four Amur tigers from Russia. At the turn of July and August 2026 the tigress Umit was released with a satellite collar, the first wild tiger in Kazakhstan in more than 70 years; two cubs are due to be released in May 2027. Preparations included restoring tugai forests and reintroducing kulans and Bukhara deer as prey. The goal is a population of 50 wild tigers by 2035. The programme is supported by WWF and Russia's Amur Tiger Center.

Species

Needs

• habitat
• anti-poaching

Who is helping

Organisations that, according to their own publications, work on this event (1). Donations go directly to each organisation's own website - GLOBURNS does not handle payments.

• WWF (WWF)
  WWF is an international conservation network working for species, forests, oceans and climate. In Poland about 200 Blue Patrol volunteers help seals, harbour porpoises…
  Donate on the organisation's website (wwf.pl)

Sources

• timesca.com timesca.com/kazakhstan-releases-first-tiger-into-wild-in-more-than-70-years/
• astanatimes.com astanatimes.com/2026/09/two-amur-tiger-cubs-planned-for-release-in-kazakhstan-in-may-2027/
• en.orda.kz en.orda.kz/amur-tiger-umit-adapts-to-life-in-the-wild-in-southern-balkhash-11160/
• worldwildlife.org worldwildlife.org/news/magazine/summer-2025/after-70-years-tigers-return-to-kazakhstan/

Seed record, before editorial verification. Every number links to its source; report errors on the Corrections page. Methodology · Corrections

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