Hunting of rare animals to be banned in Uzbekistan

A temporary moratorium on hunting a number of rare and endangered wild animals included in the Red Book will be introduced in Uzbekistan. The new restriction is aimed at preserving species whose numbers have sharply declined in the wild and restoring their populations.

The ban will come into force on August 1, 2026, and will be valid until January 1, 2028.

Which animals will be protected?

It will be impossible to hunt the rare animal species specified in the annex to the decision for a specified period.

Among them are:

• snow leopard;

• Asiatic cheetah;

• saiga;

• Bukhara deer;

• Turkestan lynx;

• caracal;

• flamingo;

• houbara bustard;

• black stork;

• curlew;

• grey crane and other species.

The formation and distribution of quotas for catching these animals will also not be allowed.

In what cases are exceptions made?

The moratorium does not apply equally to all cases. The following situations are exempt from the restriction:

• animals kept or bred in farms, special nurseries, incubators, and pond farms;

• animals caught for scientific research;

• hunting for medical purposes.

Thus, the ban is mainly aimed at preventing the illegal or quota-based hunting of rare animals living in the natural environment.

Fish fry to be released into rivers and streams

The decision also established special measures to restore biological diversity in water bodies.

From August 1, 2026, to January 1, 2030, at least 15 tons of fish fry in total will be released annually into rivers and streams flowing through the central cities of the republic.

The list of fish species to be released will be formed by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change and the Academy of Sciences.

The goal is to preserve endangered species

The new procedure is expected to create conditions for the reproduction of rare animals in their natural environment, limit illegal hunting, and compensate for the damage caused to the animal world.

In short, rare animals are no longer a target — they will become a subject of serious protection.