Tigers will return to Kazakhstan this spring
Where the tigers will appear
The release site chosen is the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve, created in 2018. Scientists consider it the most suitable territory for restoring the tiger population: it is remote from settlements, has a feeding base, and conditions for large predators to thrive.
According to the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife, Kazakh specialists underwent training in two stages:
The first stage took place in December 2025, when five specialists were trained in the Khabarovsk region (Russia).
The second stage took place in February 2026, with six specialists successfully completing the training program.
"For the successful implementation of the project, particular attention was given to preparing Kazakh specialists. During their training, specialists learned methods for preventing and resolving potential conflict situations involving tigers. They also studied international methods of working with predators and gained practical skills," said the ministry.
Which tigers are coming
According to the committee, four Amur tigers are planned to be brought in. The selection of the animals for transfer is currently underway in Russia.
"As part of the joint action plan for preparing the import of Amur tigers from Russia to Kazakhstan and the initial adaptation of the animals, the main stages of preparation have been completed. The planned import will involve four tigers from the Russian Federation. Currently, work is underway in Russia to select animals for their subsequent shipment to Kazakhstan," the committee said.
Sergey Aramilev, the director of the "Amur Tiger" center, told Russian media that the tigers will vary in age and gender. Each tiger will be equipped with a satellite collar after release. Monitoring groups will track their movements.
"If the tracker shows that a tiger is approaching any settlements, measures will be taken to prevent this," he said.
The center also emphasized that the transfer of four animals will not impact the Russian population, which currently numbers around 750 individuals.
Background
The project to restore the Turanian tiger in Kazakhstan has been implemented since 2018 with support from international environmental organizations WWF and UNDP. In the same year, the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve, covering over 415,000 hectares, was established in Almaty region, where the ecosystem suitable for predator habitation is being restored.
The scientific basis of the project comes from genetic studies by an international group of biologists, which confirmed the close relationship between the extinct Turanian tiger and the modern Amur tiger, which lives in Russia. This allowed for the start of the reintroduction program using Amur tigers.
In September 2024, the first two Amur tigers – a male named Bogdan and a female named Kuma – were brought to Kazakhstan from the Netherlands. The animals were placed in the Ile-Balkhash Reserve. The tigers have successfully adapted: they began mating, which is considered an important sign of comfortable conditions. In December 2025, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Erlan Nysanbayev noted that the tigers' condition was assessed as stable and good.
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In November 2025, Kazakhstan and Russia signed a joint plan for the import and adaptation of Amur tigers. Russia will donate four more tigers to Kazakhstan – two males and two females.
Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the importance of the tiger's return as part of the country’s biodiversity restoration efforts.