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Animals of Kazakhstan: a grey marmot in the Ile-Alatau

Animals of Kazakhstan: how many species and who lives where

Around 180 mammals, 500 birds and over 100 fish. This is the overview, including the species Kazakhstan brought back. For choosing a trip, use the wildlife guide.

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Photo: IKhalitov · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kazakhstan has around 180 mammal species, 500 birds, 52 reptiles, 12 amphibians and more than 100 fish, according to Wikipedia’s fauna article. Those are encyclopedia figures and no official census exists: the Forestry and Wildlife Committee says exact counts are impossible for most species.

The comeback stories

The most interesting recent chapter is the return of lost species. Kulans died out here in the 1930s, and the Committee now reports 4,614.

SpeciesWhat happenedWhen
Kulan14 from Turkmenistan to Barsakelmes, later to Altyn-Emel1953–1961, 1982
Kulan67 from Altyn-Emel to Ile-Balkhash (43) and Altyn Dala (24)2024
Przewalski’s horse14 from Prague Zoo2024–2025
TigerIle-Balkhash, first tigress released2024–2026

The saiga recovered on its own scale: about 21,500 in 2003 and 4.689 million in 2026. See saiga in Kazakhstan.

Who lives where

WhereWho lives there
Forest-steppeelk, roe deer, mountain hare; swans and geese nest on the lakes
Steppebobak marmot, great bustard, little bustard; saiga from spring to autumn
Desertgoitered gazelle, desert monitor
Mountainssnow leopard, brown bear, ibex
CaspianCaspian seal, sturgeon

More on landscapes under natural zones. Rare species are covered on the Red Book page, with 45 mammals and 59 birds on the legal list.

Where to go

Sightings are never promised. For a side-by-side comparison, see where to see wildlife. The short version:

AnimalPlace
ArgaliBuiratau
KulanAltyn-Emel
Marmot, flamingoKorgalzhyn
Goitered gazelleCharyn
Snow leopardIle-Alatau, tracks and camera traps only

Without leaving the city, you can see some native species at Almaty Zoo, including Tian Shan brown bears and a saiga herd that breeds there.

Altyn-Emel: herd of kulans (wild asses) galloping across a dirt road in front of a jeep, October
Kulans in Altyn-Emel, descended from 14 animals taken to Barsakelmes. Shavarev · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Not verified yet
  • We found no full species count from a government body. Mammal and reptile totals differ slightly between sources (178–180 and 49–52).

Frequently asked questions

What animals live in Kazakhstan?
Well-known species include the saiga, kulan, argali, snow leopard, goitered gazelle, bobak marmot and greater flamingo. Wikipedia’s fauna article counts about 180 mammal and 500 bird species.
Are there tigers in Kazakhstan?
They were lost in the wild and are now being reintroduced in the Ile-Balkhash reserve, where the first tigress was released in July 2026. See Ile-Balkhash.
Where should I go to see wildlife?
Use our separate trip guide: where to see wildlife in Kazakhstan.

Sources

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