Red deer from the nursery were released into their natural habitat in the Krasnoyarsk Territory

The first release of marals into their natural habitat this year took place in the Arga reserve in the Achinsk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory - on March 11, the first 12 individuals went free. This protected area is home to a red-listed Argin subpopulation of red deer for the region. This was announced on its website by the Association of Nature Reserves and National Parks of the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion.

"The life of the released marals began back in the wild ungulates nursery in the Balakhtinsky district. There, bred animals are fed, vaccinated, and prepared for the mating season. The marals are under the relentless supervision of employees until the end of one year," the association said.

However, the release of animals into their natural habitat does not mean the end of observing them. Animals continue to be fed and watched by equipping feeders in protected areas. In addition, experts install camera traps for constant tracking of ungulates.

"All these measures are necessary to ensure that the number of marals in the Krasnoyarsk Territory is actively increasing," the message says.

By the end of this week, another group of marals from the Balakhtinsky nursery will go to the territory of the Solgonsky Ridge nature reserve.

In the period from 2017 to 2023, 340 red deer were sent to their natural habitat in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. This year, 58 marals should be released to the protected areas of the region.

The work of the Balakhtinsky nursery ensures the preservation of the Arginsky maral population, listed in the Red Book of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, as well as maintaining the number of animals in the whole region.

"In recent years, thanks to the release of marals in the reserves, the number of ungulates has increased almost fourfold. Now the total number of maral in the region is more than 26 thousand individuals," said Alexey Panov, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, whose words are quoted in the department's telegram channel.