On 15 July 2024, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF International) on the implementation of the Tiger Reintroduction Programme in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

This memorandum is a continuation of the successful and fruitful co-operation that has already resulted in significant achievements in the restoration of biodiversity and infrastructure of the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve.

The return of the tiger to Kazakhstan is not only an ecologically important project, but also a symbol of our efforts to restore the natural heritage. This initiative was made possible through the fruitful cooperation of many organisations and experts.

On 27 June this year in the Netherlands signed a Cooperation Agreement between the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of MENR RK and the Special Centre for predators of the cat family "Stichting Leeuw" at the zoo "Landgoed Hoenderdaell" and the Donation Agreement of two Amur tigers (male and female). The relocation to the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve is scheduled for autumn of this year.

The genetic proximity of the Amur and Turanian tiger predetermined the choice of subspecies for reintroduction. It is important to note that of all the subspecies of tigers, only the Amur and Turanian tigers are adapted to living in the conditions of real winters and therefore the use of Amur tigers for reintroduction in Kazakhstan will facilitate the process of adaptation to new ecological conditions.