On April 18, 2026, an environmental event “Tasbaqa: Saving the Central Asian Tortoise” was held in the Almaty Region, dedicated to the conservation of the Central Asian tortoise and the development of environmental awareness among school students. The program included the release of rescued animals into their natural habitat, a field excursion, an award ceremony for participants of the national competition, and the premiere of a documentary film about the Central Asian tortoise.
The event “Saving the Central Asian Tortoise” was organized by the Tasbaqa Nature Protection Foundation, led by Yulia Tsaugg. One of the key partners was the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, whose staff took direct part in the release of the tortoises.
Participants included school students from across Kazakhstan – winners and prize-winners of the national environmental competition “Tasbaqa Buryshy” (“Tortoise Corner”), their mentors, and representatives of environmental organizations.
The program began early on Saturday morning, when more than 100 participants set off to the release site in the Almaty Region.
On the buses, on the way to the release site, participants discussed tortoises, the fragility of life in arid ecosystems, how easily humans can interfere – and how difficult it is to restore balance afterward. During the journey, students and their mentors attended a lecture by Ivan Gennadyevich Frolov, a researcher from the Laboratory of Ornithology and Herpetology of the Institute of Zoology, who spoke about interesting facts, tortoise biology, and field research methods.
Then came the release site – with wind, lark songs, and the scent of wormwood. During the field excursion, students learned to look for tortoise tracks, identify their shelters, and observe the surroundings as researchers rather than tourists.
The key event was the practical part – the release of rescued Central Asian tortoises. Each group had the opportunity to personally participate in returning the animals to the wild. Before the release, it was noted that each tortoise could have had a very different fate – a box, a floor, a confined space. Now they were returning to where they belong.
The tortoises slowly moved into the степь. Without haste. Without looking back. As if they had always known the way home…
After the field activities, the program continued in the city of Konaev, where an award ceremony for participating schools was held at a Kazakh school-lyceum. Winners and prize-winners received personalized certificates and valuable prizes. Some participants presented their environmental initiatives, including a lapbook and an interactive website dedicated to the Central Asian tortoise. Event partners noted the contribution of educational institutions to the development of environmental awareness among students.
A special highlight was the premiere of the documentary film “Tasbaqa – A Day in the Life of the Central Asian Tortoise,” filmed on the Ustyurt Plateau. The premiere took place in London in August 2025. Filming was supported by the Royal Geographical Society. In Kazakhstan, the film was first shown to the winners of this national competition. The film was presented by invited guest Saxon Bosworth (UK), a conservationist, researcher, and documentary filmmaker, who answered numerous questions from participants after the screening.
The field excursion and release of rescued tortoises marked the final stage of the national school competition “Tortoise Corner.” The competition was held with the support of the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Zoology of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the international “Crowder-Messersmith Fund,” in cooperation with “Nature Forward” and with the participation of a number of environmental organizations.
From the Institute of Zoology, the event was attended by: L.M. Shakhvorostova, Head of the Information Department, and researchers from the Laboratory of Ornithology and Herpetology – I.G. Frolov and B.T. Berdikulov (Head of the Laboratory).
The school competition organized by the Tasbaqa Nature Protection Foundation clearly demonstrates that environmental education is most effective when it goes beyond theory. Direct participation of students in conservation activities fosters personal responsibility for environmental protection and promotes a deeper understanding of the value of Kazakhstan’s biodiversity.
Such initiatives are an important step in educating a new generation for whom caring for nature is not an abstract idea, but a personal experience and a conscious choice.
19.04.2026
Photos by staff of the Institute of Zoology of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan