Kazakhstan Named One of World’s Top Three Wildlife Tourism Destinations
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An expedition to Kazakhstan’s steppes to observe saiga antelopes has ranked third in the international Wildlife Experience Index, ahead of snow leopard safaris in the Himalayas, polar bear expeditions in Svalbard and orangutan encounters in Borneo.
The index assessed 30 of the world’s most remarkable wildlife experiences. Each was evaluated according to six criteria: species rarity, remoteness, conservation impact, exclusivity, accessibility and the likelihood of seeing the animals in their natural habitat.
Kazakhstan’s saiga expedition scored 87 points out of 100. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda topped the ranking with 90 points, followed by an expedition to see emperor penguins in Antarctica with 88.5 points, Euronews reported, citing research by British travel company Bailey Robinson.
Kazakhstan’s high ranking was largely driven by the unique status of the saiga as an ancient relict species and the vast landscapes across which the animals roam.
The ranking also highlighted the growing importance of responsible ecotourism in destinations where observing rare species can help support conservation projects.
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