16 Feb 2007 - Almaty, Kazakhstan – Thanks to the efforts
of WWF and the Altyn Emel National Park Service, the endanagered
Bukhara deer has been reintroduced to its former habitat
on the right bank of Kazakhstan's Ili River.
WWF, together with the park service, started to make preparations
for the arrival of the two bucks and seven does several
years ago. The deer come from a game reserve located on
the other bank of the river where the deer population has
been restored since 1972.
A natural migration of the deer to the park has not been
possible as the river is too wide for the animals to cross.
“The reintroduction of this endangered species in the area
became possible after the creation of Altyn Emel national
park in 1996,” says Olga Pereladova, Head of WWF Central
Asia Programme. “The area is very well protected from poachers
and logging activities.”
By late 1980s, the Bukhara deer population throughout Central
Asia had dropped to 900 due to habitat loss and poaching.
By the end of the 11000s there were only 350 deer left.
Since WWF started its Bukhara deer conservation project
in Central Asia in 1999, the population has increased to
1,000 deer. Before the reintroduction in the Altyn Emel
National Park, WWF helped reintroduce the deer species in
two other sites in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Masha Vinokurova, Communications Officer
WWF Central Asia Programme
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