The "Nature and People" Foundation and retail giant Magnit expand their wildlife monitoring efforts in Dagestan to protect the rare Caucasian reed cat and forest cat, extending the project to the UNESCO Kizlyar Bay Biosphere Reserve and the Agrakhan Nature Reserve. The initiative aligns with Russia’s National Development Goals for environmental well-being and biodiversity conservation.
Dagestan serves as a crucial sanctuary for these endangered felines, with experts estimating the local population at just 100 forest cats and fewer than 350 reed cats. The project originally kicked off last year in the Samur Delta cluster of the Samursky National Park, where 14 camera traps captured valuable footage of the elusive cats and other wildlife.
Beyond field research, the initiative included an educational outreach program that taught over 500 local children about wildlife safety and the importance of protecting endangered species. Now, researchers working with Dagestan State Nature Reserve are deploying 20 new camera traps in Kizlyar Bay and the Agrakhan reserve to gather more data.
This expanded monitoring is especially urgent due to recent Caspian Sea level fluctuations that have drastically reshaped the region's landscapes, drying up internal water bodies and replacing them with reed thickets and desert ecosystems.
Natalya Dronova, Chief Project Coordinator at the Foundation, highlighted that the secretive nature of these cats makes field research essential for their survival. Kurban Kuniev, Director of Dagestan State Nature Reserve, praised the project for shedding light on the once-mysterious reed cat, while Magnit manager Eduard Kostenko reaffirmed the company’s commitment to funding both animal monitoring and youth education to safeguard Dagestan unique biodiversity.