Kyrgyzstan plans to release gazelles into wild to restore extinct population

Conservationists at the Zheiren Ordosu zoological reserve in Kyrgyzstan plan to release 30 gazelles into their natural habitat this year.

The project aims to restore the population of these rare ungulates, which disappeared from the region during the 1990s. Biologist Askar Davletbakov and gamekeeper Ermek Shabikeev manage the restoration project, which began in 2021. Between 2021 and 2022, the team brought in 25 gazelles from Uzbekistan with the help of international organizations. The population has since grown to 100 individuals.

Currently, the reserve keeps 70 gazelles in a fenced 50-hectare area where the animals receive regular food and undergo adaptation to the local climate. The gazelles provide ecological benefits by eating thorny plants and helping seeds germinate with their hooves. To protect the animals from poachers, staff installed GPS trackers on six gazelles in 2025. The reserve also works to protect other rare species, including the golden eagle and pheasant. The project expects 21 offspring to be born in 2026.

Once these young animals grow, the team plans to release them into the wild as part of the ongoing effort to restore biodiversity in the semi-desert areas of the Ton district.