KazNU Scientists Study Traditional Kazakh Knowledge on Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation

Scientists from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University are conducting a comprehensive study of the Kazakh people's historical relationship with wildlife, biodiversity, and so-called “living monuments” from the perspectives of ethnozoology, anthropozoology, and legal ethnology. The project focuses on the historical relationship between people and nature, traditional knowledge about wildlife, and the transformation of approaches to the use and conservation of natural resources over the centuries.

The study considers representatives of wildlife not only as biological species but also as an integral part of Kazakh traditional culture, worldview, folklore, language, economic practices, and customs. To address these issues comprehensively, the researchers combine methods from ethnography, zoology, archaeology, geoarchaeology, paleo-zooarchaeology, ethnolinguistics, and legal studies.

One of the key areas of the project is the development of an ethnozoological approach in Kazakhstan's humanities. Ethnozoology examines people's traditional knowledge of animals, including their identification and classification, folk names, patterns of interaction with wildlife, hunting practices, domestication, and the use of animal products. Within the project, this approach is applied to reconstruct the historical experience of the Kazakh people and their relationship with wildlife.

Particular attention is being paid to animals that historically inhabited the territory of Kazakhstan but later became extinct or experienced significant population declines. One of the central research subjects is the Caspian or Turan tiger. Scientists are studying its historical habitats, migration routes, traditional knowledge of local communities about the tiger, hunting practices, ethnographic and folkloric evidence, and the representation of the animal in the Kazakh language and cultural heritage.

The project includes an analysis of materials preserved in state archives and museum collections. These include historical documents related to tiger hunting, taxidermy specimens, skins, bones, and other ethnographic and archaeological artifacts. Bringing these materials into scientific circulation will help reconstruct the history of the Turan tiger in Kazakhstan and identify the factors that contributed to its decline and disappearance.

Another important research area is the study of wild horse species, particularly the kulan and tarpan. The researchers are examining traditional knowledge about their habitats, seasonal movements, hunting practices, the use of meat and hides, as well as historical names and folkloric information associated with these animals. The findings are considered in the context of modern approaches to restoring and conserving populations of rare and previously extinct species.

The project also focuses on the saiga antelope, argali, red deer, roe deer, and goitered gazelle. Researchers are studying traditional knowledge of their habitats and migration routes, breeding and calving periods, links between animal behavior and seasonal natural phenomena, folk terminology, rituals, and historical hunting practices.

A separate research direction involves the study of ancient hunting structures known as “aran”. Satellite and geoarchaeological surveys conducted by specialists from the International Laboratory of Geoarchaeology at KazNU have identified traces of such structures in the Aryskum and Daryyalyktakyr areas. Researchers plan to compare archaeological, ethnographic, and geographical evidence to determine their purpose, construction, and historical significance.

Other research subjects include the snow leopard, leopard, lynx, bear, wild boar, fox, corsac fox, badger, beaver, marmot, ground squirrel, snakes, and other representatives of Kazakhstan's wildlife. Scientists will examine traditional names, mythological and sacred representations, hunting practices, the use of animal skins and body parts, as well as related folklore and ethnolinguistic materials.

The project also addresses the symbolic and spiritual significance of animals in traditional Kazakh culture. Researchers analyze mythological and sacred representations of wild animals, totemic and cult-related beliefs, and rituals and traditions associated with wildlife. This approach will provide a deeper understanding of the role of animals in the traditional worldview of the Kazakh people and the transformation of these perceptions throughout history.

An important part of the project is the study of traditional knowledge among Kazakh communities living in the Altai region, Mongolia, China, and border areas of Kyrgyzstan. In particular, researchers will examine traditional yak husbandry, the use of yak meat, milk, wool, and hides, as well as indigenous knowledge concerning the crossbreeding of yaks with local cattle.

The scientific novelty of the project lies in its comprehensive study of the Kazakh people's relationship with wildlife at the intersection of ethnozoology, anthropozoology, and legal ethnology. This approach brings together humanities and natural sciences and considers animals simultaneously as elements of ecosystems, economic practices, cultural heritage, and traditional worldviews.

A distinctive feature of the research is that animals are studied together with their natural habitats. Mountain and steppe landscapes, deserts, river valleys, tugai forests, and reed beds are considered an integral part of traditional ecological knowledge. This perspective makes it possible to better understand the historical interaction between people and ecosystems and the impact of human activities on wildlife.

The project will involve a comprehensive analysis of archival documents, museum collections, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, historical written sources, folklore and ethnolinguistic materials, and data collected during field expeditions. Particular importance will be given to information provided by bearers of traditional knowledge about nature and wildlife.

The practical significance of the project lies in the potential use of historical and ethnocultural knowledge in developing modern approaches to biodiversity and wildlife conservation. The findings may be of interest to environmental organizations, national parks, state nature reserves, museums, universities, and research institutions.

The project is expected to result in scientific publications in international and national peer-reviewed journals, the collective monograph “Kazakh People and Wildlife: A System of Traditional Ethnozoological Knowledge”, and the research and methodological document “People and Nature: Field Research Methodology”.

The project will contribute to systematizing the historical experience of the Kazakh people's interaction with nature, advancing ethnozoology and anthropozoology in Kazakhstan, and developing a deeper understanding of the cultural foundations of biodiversity conservation. The research will also help introduce traditional knowledge about wildlife into contemporary scientific discourse and provide a new interdisciplinary perspective on the historical relationship between people and animals.