Putin gifts four tigers to Kazakhstan for conservation program

Russia has gifted four tigers to Kazakhstan as part of an initiative to reintroduce the Caspian tiger to Central Asia. The animals, transported by air from Russia's Far East, are expected to be released into the wild.

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Four tigers in the Khabarovsk region of Russia's Far East were transported by air to Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is actively working to revive its tiger population, which disappeared decades ago. The Amur tiger, native to Russia's Far East, is considered the closest living relative of the extinct Caspian tiger. This donation from Russia, following a similar contribution from the Netherlands, bolsters Kazakhstan's conservation efforts.

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Kazakhstan is currently implementing a program to restore the tiger population in Central Asia, after the Caspian tiger, which once lived in the region, became extinct decades ago.

This act of wildlife diplomacy aligns with President Vladimir Putin's past use of animals in foreign relations. In 2022, Russia sent 30 horses to North Korea. Beyond conservation, Putin's visit to Kazakhstan also focused on energy and nuclear cooperation, with plans to sign agreements for a new nuclear power plant. Kazakhstan, which has not had a nuclear reactor since 1999, will receive significant funding from Russia for the project, expected to be operational by 2035-2036.

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Kazakh officials consider the Amur tiger, which lives mainly in Russia's Far East, to be the closest living relative of the Caspian tiger.

The leaders also planned to discuss increasing the transit of Russian oil to China via Kazakhstan, a move that would expand on a previous agreement to boost annual oil exports through the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline.

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President Putin is known for a long time for using animals as part of Russia's diplomatic activities.