Ecologists suggest breeding of Asian elephants in Kazakhstan

A group of Astana ecologists offer to breed Asian elephants in Kazakhstan. Experts believe that these animals will be able to settle down onMangyshlak Peninsula, akipress refers to newspaper "Express K".

"Asian elephants are more massive than the African ones. They reach 3.5 meters in height and more than six tons in weight. Asian elephants are born with thick hair, but it falls because of the heat. Due to the winter of West Kazakhstan pelage of animals would be thicker. Asian elephants have enormous tusks that reach three to four meters in length. So, in Kazakhstan, these animals would have been like... mammoths. Mangyshlak is ideal for breeding elephants. In proof that elephants can settle down well in Kazakhstan, it's enough to give an example of the legendary Batyr from Karaganda Zoo,” says ecologist Magauya Seisenov.

"Asian elephants can withstand low temperatures, but in Mangyshlak and Ustyurt, the winters are little snowy. With regard to food, for one elephant 30 square kilometers of grassland would be enough. In India and Bangladesh, elephants ruin crops, so Western Kazakhstan is not in danger because of the absence of crops. But generally, mammoths lived on the territory of Kazakhstan during the Pleistocene epoch, but they were destroyed by primitive men," he said.

Kazakhstan will be able to rescue this endangered species. Besides, Western Kazakhstan will get one more tourist destination, the newspaper "Express K" reports.