Back in Sight: Endangered Leopard Makes Fifth Appearance in Kazakhstan

A camera trap in the Ustyurt Nature Reserve has captured a rare sight — the Persian leopard, one of the world’s largest leopard subspecies, was spotted again for the fifth time.

This endangered species, whose numbers plummeted in the late 20th century due to poaching, was officially listed in Kazakhstan’s Red Book in 2021.

Between October 29 and December 21, 2024, the Persian leopard appeared on our camera trap four times. This confirms that the Ustyurt Nature Reserve is an important habitat for this rare species,the Forestry and Wildlife Committee under the Ministry of Ecology reported. 

The male leopard was first caught on camera in the Ustyurt Reserve in 2018, with the very first photo of the subspecies in Kazakhstan dating back to 2015 in the Karakiya district.

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