As part of the Environmental Action Plan for the Abai Region for 2023-2025, the population of cormorants is intended to be reduced by shooting birds.
According to the regional akimat, based on a biological justification, it is planned to shoot 2,979 individuals of the "great cormorant" – this is 20% of the total population.
Local authorities explain their decision by stating that the recently increased cormorant population consumes around 5 tonnes of fish per day at peak numbers. If the situation remains unchanged, the biological balance and ichthyological conditions of the water bodies in the Abai region will supposedly suffer serious damage.
It is also noted that plants near which cormorants leave their droppings die, as the birds' excrement is harmful to local plants due to its high nitrogen content.
In connection with this, the region has concluded that immediate effective methods of regulating the population of the great cormorant are required.
To reduce the number of birds, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management of the region is holding a tender for the shooting of cormorants on the territory of the Irtysh River, and Lakes Alakol and Sasykol.
It is worth recalling that since September 2023, Kazakhstan has been controlling the population of saiga antelopes. Based on dubious biological justification, the so-called "removal for scientific purposes" is taking place, which is simply the shooting of steppe antelopes.
Today, the Ministry of Ecology plans to introduce amateur hunting of saiga and legalise the export of saiga horns.
In December 2023, a document approving a limit on the removal of certain animal species was put up for public discussion. The document lists saiga, raccoon dogs, brown bears, lynxes, marals and many others.
It recently became known that RGLP "Okhotzooprom" has entered into a contract for services related to aerial surveys and monitoring of argali.
It seems that Minister Nysanbayev has decided to eradicate not only the saiga, but indeed the entire fauna of Kazakhstan.