Kyrgyz communities create micro-reserves to protect wildlife from poaching

Ermek Shabikeev and local residents in Kyrgyzstan established a community micro-reserve on the Ak-Bulun peninsula to protect bird populations from poaching and uncontrolled tourism.

Shabikeev noticed that the peninsula on the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul suffered from environmental degradation as hunters and tourists depleted the local bird diversity and drove away hares. In 2019, he and his supporters launched the micro-reserve with help from local authorities and the GEF Small Grants Program, which is implemented by the UNDP.

The project focuses on educating the population about poaching while creating a quiet ecological zone where birds can safely winter. The reserve covers 150 hectares of land, with a total area of 380 hectares including coastal water. Shabikeev says the area now hosts about 10,000 ducks across ten species and up to 1,000 swans across two species. Research indicates that up to 40 species of birds, including those listed in the national Red Book, inhabit the peninsula.

The initiative also promotes ecotourism, attracting international visitors from countries like the USA, Germany, Spain, and the UK for bird photography. In the Jeti-Oguz district, Talant Usupov and the public association Ala-Too Bughu protect the Jargyldzhak state reserve. The group patrols the 23,000-hectare area to stop illegal hunting of animals like ibex and snow leopards. They use camera traps to monitor the wildlife, which have successfully captured images of rare snow leopards, manuls, and bears.

The association organizes ecological tours where tourists pay to see these animals and take photographs, helping to fund the conservation efforts.