Tiger returns to Kazakhstan wild after 70 years in historic release

Kazakhstan has released an adult female Amur tiger named Umit into the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve. The move marks the first major step in a long-term plan to restore a tiger population more than 70 years after the animal disappeared from the country.

New Delhi: A female Amur tiger named Umit has entered the wild in Kazakhstan, marking the return of tigers to the country’s natural habitat after more than 70 years. Umit, whose name means “hope” in Kazakh, was released on July 31 at the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve in southeastern Kazakhstan.

The adult tigress now carries a GPS and GSM satellite collar. Wildlife teams are tracking her movements through satellite signals, camera traps and ground observations. Her release begins the practical phase of a conservation programme that took more than a decade of habitat work, animal transfers and staff training.

Tigers vanished from Kazakhstan for 70 years. Umit may change that | Kazakh Ministry of Environment / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images

Why this Tiger’s release is historic

Tigers once lived across the Ili River delta, the southern Lake Balkhash region and the thick tugai forests of Central Asia. The Caspian tiger, commonly........

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