Tokayev highlights Kazakhstan's success in restoring rare animal populations
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan has achieved significant progress in biodiversity conservation, citing the recovery of populations of the saiga antelope, snow leopard, Turan tiger, Przewalski's horse and Caspian seal, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the press service of Akorda.
The President described the revival of the saiga population as one of the country's greatest conservation achievements.
“This ancient animal survived the last Ice Age and remains very essential to the natural balance of our steppes. Today Kazakhstan is home to around 98 percent of the world’s saiga population. In 2003, just 21,000 species remained in our country. By the spring of this year, their numbers had reached an estimated 4.7 million,” Tokayev said.
He also noted encouraging signs in the recovery of the snow leopard, “a proud symbol of our mountain heritage.”
“Around 70 percent of its range in our country are within protected areas. Reliable and sustained protection and systematic scientific monitoring have helped its population grow from critically low levels of 90s last century to nearly 190 animals today. Behind all these recoveries are years of hard and dedicated, determined work by the authorities, scientists and international partners,” he noted.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his gratitude to the Russian Federation and its President, as well as the United Nations Development Programme, the World Wildlife Fund, and other international partners, including NGOs, for their assistance in restoring the population of the Turan tiger.
He emphasized that in July this year, a tiger was released into the wild for the first time in 70 years, marking a milestone for Kazakhstan.
The Head of State also noted that efforts are underway, in cooperation with Czech, German and Hungarian partners, to reintroduce the Przewalski’s horse to Kazakhstan.
The President also highlighted the need to protect the Caspian Sea and its unique biodiversity.
“At the recent first Caspian Environmental Summit in Turkmenistan, I called for urgent, coordinated action to prevent fatal damage to this fragile ecosystem. The future of Caspian seals causes a particular concern. Its population has fallen from one million to 270,000 over the past century. In Kazakhstan, the Caspian seal has been officially listed as a rare and endangered animal. We urge all five littoral states and international community to increase efforts to protect these species. The tragedy of the Aral Sea is a stark reminder of the devastating cost of reckless exploitation of nature and we must not allow the Caspian Sea to suffer the same fate,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized
Earlier, it was reported that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived at the Meridian Expo and Event Center in Yerevan, Armenia, to attend the COP17 Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity.
Addressing the summit, the President called for greater international cooperation to preserve biodiversity and presented the Taza Qazaqstan initiative.