Proceedings Published: Human-Wildlife Conflict in Central Asia

The Proceedings “Human-Wildlife Conflict in Central Asia” have been published, bringing together 18 scientific analyses and practical case studies presented at the regional conference “Human-Wildlife Conflict in Central Asia”, held on 5-6 March 2025 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The conference was jointly organized by the Michael Succow Foundation, the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK). It took place within the framework of the GIZ Regional Programme “Integrative and Climate-Sensitive Land Use in Central Asia” (ILUCA).

The Proceedings reflect the growing importance of human-wildlife conflicts in Central Asia. They combine regional overviews with national and local case studies. Each article has an abstract in Russian and English. The volume is structured into three main parts:

• Part 1 focuses on general issues, including an overview of conflicts between humans and vertebrates in Uzbekistan and a conceptual article on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence, emphasizing integrated management approaches. 
• Part 2 examines conflicts between humans and wild ungulates, with a particular focus on the saiga antelope and Bukhara deer. Case studies from Kazakhstan explore challenges related to saiga population management, economic impacts on agriculture, and strategies to balance biodiversity conservation with local livelihoods.
• Part 3 addresses conflicts between humans and wild predators, presenting case studies on lynx, snow leopard, brown bear, and leopard. This section also highlights practical mitigation approaches, such as compensation schemes and the use of Central Asian shepherd dogs as a traditional conflict-resolution tool.

By documenting experiences, challenges, and solutions from across all five Central Asian countries, the Proceedings provide a valuable knowledge base for researchers, land users, decision-makers, and conservation organizations working on sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation in Central Asia.

The Michael Succow Foundation thanks all authors, partners, and contributors for their commitment and collaboration in making this publication possible.

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