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Natalia Shivaldova, Ekomaktab NGO, nshivaldova@mail.ru
In the last few weeks of the summer holidays children from
steppe clubs across Karakalpakstan had the chance to share ideas
and get motivation for the next academic year at the Saiga kids
camp in a picturesque valley not far from the Chatkal Nature
Reserve. The sweet-smelling mountain herbs, the fresh mountain air
and the crystal clear mountain streams, as well as the great
diversity of animals and plants and the wonderful mountain lake
made the children fall yet deeper in love with nature and discover
many new things.
The Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan Ministry of Agriculture's Committee for Forest Management and Wildlife, Nariman Zhunusov, says that there has been some progress in detecting and capturing those breaking environmental laws:
"In 2014, 79 criminal cases were initiated for saiga poaching; in 2015, there were 107 cases and the number of confiscated horns exceeded 3000. 20 criminal cases have been initiated and about 600 saiga horns confiscated since the beginning of 2016. Saiga horns are also known as ling yang (羚羊) and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The attempted smuggling of a large consignment of saiga horns from Uzbekistan has been prevented, according to the State Customs Committee of the Fergana Region. An operation conducted by the customs staff with members of the National Security Service in a Fergana warehouse resulted in the detection of 468 saiga horns, 72 horn pieces and 170 skins. Saiga horns are also known as ling yang (羚羊) and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These products were going to be illegally exported and belonged to a resident of the Sokh district. Their estimated value is 148 million soums (~46,879 USD).
For more details click here
After a 6 month investigation, in early September 2016 the Beijing, Sichuang and Xingjiang forest police bureaus confiscated 1502.25 kg of saiga horns and arrested 12 suspects. Saiga horns are also known as ling yang, (羚羊) and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The estimated market value of the confiscated horns is RMB 320 million (46,625,824 USD). The case was first brought to Xingjiang Forest Bureau's attention after a large stock of saiga horns was discovered in the cities of Urumqi and Yili in China's north-western province of Xinjiang. The authorities are still investigating.
Further details are yet to be released.
'Mere enthusiasm is not enough to feed a saiga!' - Y. Arylov
Yuri Nimeyevich Arylov is the Director of the Centre for Wild Animals in the Republic of Kalmykia, a Doctor of Biology, a Professor at the Kalmyk State University and an honoured worker of science of the Republic of Kalmykia.
It is obvious that saigas have been Professor Arylov's passion for many years. His range of interests in science are wide, having been actively engaged for the last 24 years in studying ungulate ecology, in particular saigas, game ranching, environment protection, and ecological education for different sectors of the population.
Buyanaa Chimeddorj1, Erdenebaatar
Sergelen1, and Bayarbaatar
Buuveibaatar2
1Mongolia Program Office, World Wide Fund for
Nature, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2Wildlife Conservation
Society, Mongolia Program, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Steffen Zuther and Albert Salemgareev. Association for
the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan, steffen.zuther@acbk.kz,
albert.salemgareev@acbk.kz
Vladimir Kalmykov1, Maria
Vorontsova2
1 Stepnoi» Sanctuary, limstepnoi@mail.ru;
2 Russian Branch of the International Fund for Animal
Welfare, IFAW, mvorontsova@ifaw.org
It is spring. The steppe begins quickly to grow green and some
places turns into a flower garden. Birds are returning to their
homeland and the steppe is suffused with their chirrups. But the
most important thing is that the time is nearing when baby saigas
will arrive in the Stepnoi Sanctuary. This will be 16th calving at
the reserve and the Sanctuary staff are preparing for it with
particular care.