Restoring goitered gazelle population: Project presented to President

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov got acquainted with a project aimed at restoring the population of the goitered gazelle (also known as dzheyran) in Issyk-Kul region.

The initiative, titled Zheyren-Ordo, is led by the public foundations Argali and Ilbirs Fund, in collaboration with Gulistan enterprise. The goal of the project is to return the goitered gazelle to the wild nature of Kyrgyzstan, where it was once widespread, but due to poaching and the transformation of natural areas, it found itself on the verge of extinction or even disappeared.

To date, its numbers and habitat have decreased to a critical level, and natural restoration of the population has become impossible without human assistance.

The organizers of the reserve informed the head of state that the southern shore of Issyk-Kul is an area where suitable natural conditions have been preserved, but goitered gazelles have not been seen for a long time. The only way to restore the animals here is through reintroduction, i.e. bringing animals from other regions.

The Zheyren-Ordo project uses the so-called «soft method» of releasing goitered gazelles into the wild. At the initial stage, the project involves keeping the animals in semi-free conditions for adaptation and breeding, followed by their release into the wild in their former habitats.

To date, the center keeps 43 individuals, and by the end of the year, their number is planned to be increased to 60. This year, the first release of 25 goitered gazelles will be carried out: first 12 males, and after their adaptation, 13 females with cubs.

In the future, it is planned to release 15-20 individuals annually. Provided that poaching is effectively controlled, the project can increase the number of goitered gazelles in the region to 500 individuals within 10 years.