The 32nd issue of “Selevinia” magazine has been released

Among other interesting publications, it contains 3 articles co-authored by members of the BRCC team:

1. Пестов М.В., Терентьев В.А., Онгарбаев Н.Х, Нурмухамбетов Ж.Э., Пулатов А.А., Мухашов А.Т., Канбаев С.Б., Боранбаев М.Р.А., Розен Т. Конфликт между крупным хищником и человеком: возможно ли оптимальное решение проблемы в Казахстане? // Selevinia, 2024, т. 32, С. 160-163.

This report presents facts of real conflict situations between herders and specially protected big cats (the pronghorn leopard and snow leopard) in Central Asia and considers possible ways of solving this problem in Kazakhstan based on the example of foreign experience.

2. Пестов М.В., Терентьев В.А., Онгарбаев Н.Х, Нурмухамбетов Ж.Э., Пулатов.А.А., Устадов Ж.А., Мухашов А.Т., Канбаев С.Б., Боранбаев М.Р.А., Розен Т., Денисов Д.А. Проект по изучению и охране переднеазиатского леопарда (Panthera pardus tulliana) в Казахстане: результаты за 2024 год // Selevinia, 2024, т. 32, С. 226-242.

This report contains information on the results of the second phase of the international project on the study and protection of the Fore Asian leopard Panthera pardus tulliana in Kazakhstan in 2024. In particular, during the monitoring of natural habitats using more than 80 camera traps, the presence of the next, at least fifth leopard specimen in the last 20 years on the territory of Mangistau region as a result of regular visits from north-western Turkmenistan was confirmed.

In the course of continued successful cooperation with the Border Guard Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, the number of passages for ungulates (the basis of the leopard's food base) in the border wire fences on the sections of Kazakhstan's state border with Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan within the Mangistau region has been significantly increased to 32 and 18, respectively. Successful use of these passages by gazelles, gazelles, urials and probably kulans is confirmed by numerous camera trap data.

In general, international cooperation on the study and protection of the leopard continues successfully, but the problem of operational cooperation between the border services of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan with the participation of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries to provide opportunities for migration of ungulates on the plain section of the state border remains unresolved.

New threats to the conservation of desert ecosystems and traditional transboundary migration routes for mammals and birds in Mangistau Oblast have been identified in connection with the plans to implement the international megaproject “Hyrasia One” for the development of renewable energy sources and production of “green” hydrogen by Svevind Energy Group. In this regard, we and our partners are holding consultations with representatives of Svevind Energy Group and the management of the Akimat of Mangistau region in order to develop mutually acceptable compromise solutions for biodiversity conservation in the course of economic development of the territory.

A number of publications in mass media and circulation of the brochure “Cats of Deserts of Kazakhstan” for the local population in Kazakh and Russian languages were prepared.

3. Цаугг Ю.В., Пестов М.В., Терентьев В.А., Назарбек Г., Хан О.В. Проекты по охране и популяризации среднеазиатской черепахи (Agrionemys horsfieldii) в Казахстане -предварительные результаты и перспективы // Selevinia, 2024, т. 32, С. 216-225.

This article presents data on the goals, objectives and preliminary results of two projects for the conservation and promotion of the Central Asian tortoise Agrionemys horsfieldii in Kazakhstan, which are being implemented by the private conservation foundation “Tasbaka” in 2024-2025. Some members of the BRCC team were also involved in the implementation of these projects.

Download the 32nd issue of Selevinia in PDF