Saving and multiplying - A new edition of the Red Book is being prepared in Tatarstan.

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       A new edition of the Red Book is being prepared in Tatarstan

      

      

      

      

      

      

       A new edition of the Red Book is being prepared in Tatarstan (photo: ojm.tatarstan.ru)

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       In Tatarstan, a new, the first edition of the Red Book in almost 10 years is being prepared for release, which will be published for the first time also in the Tatar language, and although no revolutionary changes in the protective lists are expected, the very dynamics of the state of nature gives scientists many reasons for reflection.

      

       As reported by "BUSINESS Online," one of the main positive news of the updated list will be the exclusion of the brown bear, whose population has not only recovered over the past decades but has also significantly expanded its habitat. If in the 1990s, the bears only occasionally ventured into the northern regions of the republic from the Kirov region and Mari El, today their stable population exceeds 100 individuals. The tradition of mass driven hunts for bears has gradually faded into the past, and the animal has settled throughout the taiga zone, reaching even the borders of the forest-steppe. The list of protected species also excludes the long-eared owl, the gray partridge, and a number of other species whose populations are recognized as having recovered, and the partridge has even regained its status as a game species – today there are about 185,000 of these birds in the republic. However, the overall ecological picture is far from as rosy as it may seem in the case of the bear. Over the past half-century, more than three thousand lakes have disappeared without a trace in the territory of the republic, and the forest cover of the region has catastrophically decreased from 80% to 17%. Small rivers are rapidly drying up and degrading, ground squirrels have almost completely disappeared from familiar landscapes, and in some water bodies, the aggressive invasive fish species, the Amur sleeper, is methodically displacing all other local species. Climate change is leading to southern, more thermophilic birds and plants increasingly colonizing the republic, while taiga species are retreating along with the shrinking forests. Ecologist specialists acknowledge that passive nature protection may be insufficient under modern conditions: to truly save rare and endangered species, expensive and comprehensive programs for artificial breeding and restoration of natural habitats are necessary. Meanwhile, the main anthropogenic threats to the biodiversity of the republic, according to experts, remain chaotic construction in water protection zones, packs of stray dogs that destroy young deer and hares, and a severe shortage of specialized field scientists who could conduct systematic monitoring. It was previously reported that Tatarstan has defined the rules for introducing a state of emergency regarding stray animals.

      

      

      

      

       Arina Mikhailova

      

      

      

      

      

       Published: 12.05.2026 13:32

       Edited: 12.05.2026 13:32