What is the Red Book?

All rare and endangered species of animals and plants in the territory of Kyrgyzstan are protected by the state.

According to the resolution of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, all rare and endangered species of animals and plants are included in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The red color is a signal of alarm, understood by people all over the world. That is why this book was named, as it contains facts about the status of those species of animals and plants that are threatened with extinction or have become rare. The Red Book of Kyrgyzstan includes 65 species of plants, 18 species of insects, 3 species of fish, 3 species of reptiles, 33 species of birds, and 13 species of mammals.

Animals can be rare for various reasons. Some are due to excessive hunting, when there are already few animals in the country, and they are further pursued by humans. For example, in Kyrgyzstan, these include the maral, snow leopard, bear, and mountain goose. With well-organized protection, the populations of these animals and birds can be restored. Others have been rare since ancient times, due to the natural conditions of the area. Such animals include the snowcock, the argali, the golden eagle, the red-legged bunting, and others.

Maral - a large deer, with a body length of up to 240 cm and a weight of 320 kg. Males have beautiful branched antlers. The antlers are shed annually and new ones grow back in spring. The maral once inhabited all coniferous and nut-bearing forests. Evidence of this is found in the form of shed antlers in various regions of the republic (Terskey and Kungoy Ala-Too, Naryn-Tuu Ridge). Currently, there are only 150-180 individuals left.

The maral is a valuable animal in every respect. Besides its excellent meat, the young antlers of the deer - velvet - are valuable for making medicines. Hunting for maral is completely prohibited, but in some cases, poachers still destroy these magnificent animals.

Gazelle (Dzhayran) - the only gazelle in Kyrgyzstan. This slender animal has a body length of only 100-110 cm and weighs up to 30 kg. Its upper color is grayish-yellow, the belly is white, and males have small horns. In Kyrgyzstan, they have survived in numbers of three to four dozen only in the southwestern part of the Issyk-Kul basin among low semi-desert mountains.

Red Wolf. We know almost nothing about this mysterious mountain beast, despite its relatively wide distribution. It inhabits the alpine belt across all regions of the Tien Shan and Pamir. It differs from the common wolf by its smaller size and reddish-brown fur with a grayish tint, and it has a bushy tail.

Otter. An animal the size of a small dog on short legs. It swims and dives well, making its home on the banks of water bodies. It feeds on fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals, and occasionally eats the eggs and chicks of water birds. The fur of the otter is very valuable and is distinguished by its durability.

Once, otters inhabited many rivers, but now only a few individuals are known to survive in the upper reaches of the Tyup River (Issyk-Kul basin). According to hunters, otters have been seen in the Chatkal River valley and some rivers in the Osh region.

Snow Leopard. In Kyrgyzstan, this is the largest animal of the cat family: body length up to 130 cm, tail length up to 90 cm, and relatively short legs. The overall tone of the fur is smoky, brownish-gray, with dark spots scattered across the body and tail. The snow leopard is a typical inhabitant of high altitudes. It inhabits the mountains of Southern Siberia, Central Asia, and Tibet. In Kyrgyzstan, it can be found across all the ridges of the Tien Shan and Alay. It usually prefers habitats of ibex, which serve as its main food source, and often hunts for roe deer, catching smaller animals and birds as well. It may only attack humans in self-defense. Kyrgyzstan is the main supplier of snow leopards for zoos in foreign countries. The snow leopard is one of the best adornments of our fauna and a valuable animal for zoos, and hunting for it is universally prohibited.

Menzbir's Marmot. This marmot is smaller than the more commonly found gray and red marmots. Its body length is less than 50 cm, and its tail is 12 cm. The upper color is brown, while the sides, cheeks, and belly are light. Gray and red marmots are quite numerous, and their hunting is permitted, while Menzbir's marmot is very rare. Its distribution is limited to the Western Tien Shan, within Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and in Kyrgyzstan, it is found in the alpine belt of the western part of the Chatkal Ridge.

This marmot was first described in 1925 by the famous biologist D. N. Kashkarov, who noted its small numbers and limited distribution. For a long time, its biology was not studied. Even now, the origin of Menzbir's marmot is still unclear.

Bats. There are many species, some of which are quite numerous. In Bishkek, for example, small bats known as pipistrelles swarm into buildings in large numbers in the autumn, annoying the population. However, there are also rare bats: the lesser horseshoe bat, the Asian big-eared bat, the long-eared bat, and some others.

Rare species are found mainly in small numbers in the southwestern part of the republic. Bats are very useful creatures, feeding on night-flying insects, most of which are harmful.

Caves serve as the main shelters for bats, although they also inhabit attics of residential buildings and tree hollows. Near Haidarkan, in the Aravan, Nookat, and other regions of Osh and Batken provinces, there are many caves where bats gather for wintering. The largest gatherings have been observed in the Duvakhon-Unkur and Sasyk-Unkur caves on Mount Chyl-Ustun in the Aravan district; in the Azhidaar-Unkur cave on Mount Tuya-Muyun in the Nookat district; in the Sol-Unkur cave in Haidarkan, and others. Clinging to the ceiling of the cave with their sharp claws, they hang upside down throughout the winter hibernation, which lasts from three to four months.

Porcupine - a peculiar animal with long quill-like spines instead of fur. It usually lives in burrows and mountain crevices. Sometimes it strays into the gardens of mountain villages. It is most commonly found in the foothills of the Pamir-Alai mountains.

Bear is a relatively harmless animal in our conditions, found everywhere in the mountains, but in small numbers.

Lynx belongs to the predators; it is cautious and is extremely rarely encountered.

In addition to the aforementioned animals, the once numerous roe deer and argali can also be considered rare.

Rare animals and birds represent a significant potential for tourism. Often, to see a rare animal, flora and fauna enthusiasts are willing to cross vast distances.

Unfortunately, there is no zoo in Kyrgyzstan that serves as a starting point for organizing specialized tours of the fauna, where residents and guests could observe animals and birds that inhabit not only Kyrgyzstan but also other regions of the planet.

Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic – 2nd ed. – Bishkek: 2006