Four Amur tigers brought to a Kazakhstani nature reserve from Russia

Tengrinews.kz — Four Amur tigers from Khabarovsk have been brought to Kazakhstan. Two adult males and two cubs will now live in the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve.

Footage of the animals being released was shown to Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Vladimir Putin. As noted by the Akorda press service, the tigers were fitted with satellite collars to monitor the animals and track their movements.

"During President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's state visit to Russia in November 2025, a joint action plan for the relocation and adaptation of Amur tigers in Kazakhstan was signed. Under the reached agreements, the Russian side transferred four Amur tigers. This initiative will facilitate the restoration of the tiger population in Kazakhstan and make a significant contribution to preserving global biodiversity," the statement said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Ecology published a video of the tigers' delivery on its Instagram account.

"The tigers brought from the Russian Federation have been delivered to the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve. The animals were captured in the wild in the Khabarovsk region and transferred as part of international cooperation to restore the large predator population in Central Asia," the department stated.

The released footage shows the Amur tigers' entire journey: from their transport from Khabarovsk through Almaty airport to their release in the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve. Judging by the photos, the predators have already arrived and are settling into their new territory.

How the tigers reached Kazakhstan

According to the Ministry of Ecology, the tigers were brought under a reintroduction program to return a species to the region that disappeared more than 70 years ago.

"Kazakhstan began the practical implementation of the project following international agreements reached in 2010 at the Tiger Conservation Forum in St. Petersburg. There, range countries confirmed their intention to restore tiger populations in the wild, and Kazakhstan declared its readiness to implement the corresponding project," the ministry noted.

The Amur tiger is one of the world's rarest predators and is listed in the international Red Data Book. Expert estimates place the predator's population in Russia at approximately 750 individuals.

As a reminder, Putin recently mentioned the Amur tigers from Khabarovsk that were gifted to Kazakhstan.