Asian steppe wildcat caught on camera for first time in Kostanay region
It’s the first time when an Asian steppe wildcat was recorded on camera in Kostanay region, which is uncommon to these territories, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The spotted wildcat was captured by employee of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan Georgiy Timoshenko. Previously, no Asian steppe wildcats have ever inhabited Kostanay region. Climate change is blamed for expansion of their habitat, the Association’s employees noted.
In 15 years of our activity, no one has seen wildcats in this region, said director of the Altynsai zoo Alexei Timoshenko.
In the past 30 years, steppe wildcats have been forced to inhabit the southern part of the steppe zone, a semi-desert strip from the southern parts of West Kazakhstan region to Abai region.
Earlier, camera traps recorded footage of a snow leopard mother and her three grown cubs roaming the terrain of the Kolsay Lakes National Park in southeast Kazakhstan.
