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First rare tiger in 70 years released in Kazakhstan to restore extinct species

A female Amur tiger has been released into the wild in Kazakhstan as part of a reintroduction project to restore the extinct Caspian tiger to Central Asia.

Video released by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources shows Umit sprinting out of her cage into the wilds of the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve and disappearing into the tall grass.

As Amur and Caspian tigers are closely related, Umit will not find it difficult to adjust to the new conditions, Kazakh Ecology Minister Yerlan Nyssanbayev said.

Caspian tigers once inhabited vast areas of Central Asia but became extinct in the 20th century due to hunting, habitat loss, and the decline of their prey.

Four Amur tigers were transferred from Russia to Kazakhstan as part of a program to restore the population.