Prince William names Kazakhstan's “Altyn Dala” initiative among Earthshot Prize 2024 finalists
In a prestigious global conservation milestone, Kazakhstan's “Altyn Dala” initiative has been announced as one of the 15 finalists in the “Protect and Restore Nature” category of HRH Prince William's Earthshot Prize 2024, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
This recognition highlights the initiative’s pioneering efforts to restore and protect Kazakhstan’s vast steppe, wetland, and desert ecosystems, with a particular focus on the recovery of the endangered saiga antelope.
Formed through a long-standing partnership between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the “Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan” (ACBK), Fauna & Flora, the “Frankfurt Zoological Society” (FZS), and the “Royal Society for the Protection of Birds” (RSPB), the “Altyn Dala” initiative was initially founded in 2005 to prevent the extinction of the saiga.
Today, the initiative operates over a 75-million-hectare area of steppe ecosystems — an expanse comparable to the size of Turkey or the US state of Texas. Its mission includes creating and expanding protected areas, restoring populations of endangered species, combating illegal wildlife trade, and providing professional training and environmental education.
Thanks to these efforts, “Altyn Dala” has achieved remarkable success in restoring the population of the unique saiga antelope, a key species of the steppe. In 2005, the saiga population plummeted to fewer than 40,000 due to poaching for their horns. Through continuous research, anti-poaching efforts, the creation of protected areas, and public awareness campaigns, the saiga population has rebounded to over 2.8 million by 2024 — one of the most significant mammal population recoveries ever recorded.
In addition to the saiga's recovery, “Altyn Dala’s” partners are also working to revive other priority endangered species, including the steppe eagle, black-winged stilt, kulan (wild donkey), and Przewalski's horse — the latter reintroduced in 2024 after a 200-year absence.
As “Altyn Dala” was named a 2024 Earthshot Prize finalist from over 2,400 nominees, it follows its earlier recognition in 2022 as one of “17 global ecosystem restoration flagships” by the United Nations.
Daniyar Turgambayev from the Forestry and wildlife committee of Kazakhstan's Ministry of ecology and natural resources remarked: “We are delighted to receive this global recognition for the collective efforts of the “Altyn Dala” initiative and congratulate our fellow finalists. However, much work remains to ensure Kazakhstan’s golden steppes continue to benefit people, wildlife, and the climate for years to come. We aim to further collaborate to leverage our expertise and train local conservationists across a wider range of sites.”
Despite “Altyn Dala’s” successes, significant challenges remain, such as expanding protected areas, restoring populations of rarer species, and ensuring rural communities continue to benefit from nature restoration in Kazakhstan. Beyond Kazakhstan, “Altyn Dala” collaborates with other major steppe conservation efforts in Mongolia, the American prairies, and the Argentinean pampas, exchanging knowledge with teams working to preserve and restore steppe ecosystems worldwide.
Upon hearing the news, Vera Voronova, Vera Voronova, Executive Director of “Altyn Dala” Conservation Initiative, commented: “We hope this recognition will help us expand partnerships, bringing in additional expertise, resources, and opportunities to scale up our efforts to protect and restore the steppe for the benefit of nature, climate, and communities.”
Work to secure the long-term future of Kazakhstan’s ancient steppes continues through the “Altyn Dala” initiative and includes efforts to strengthen resilience to climate change, maintain anti-poaching and anti-trafficking measures, fully restore populations of rare species, and connect restored landscapes so they can function effectively for both wildlife and community use.
Each of the 15 finalists is vying for five £1 million prizes, which will be awarded at the Earthshot Prize ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa on November 6.
