Unknown animal captured on video in Mangystau

Tengrinews.kz - A mysterious animal was caught on video. Some believe it to be a jackal, while others speculate it might be a red wolf. Environmental experts from Mangystau have weighed in on the matter.

The video shows the animal, seemingly unsettled by human attention, trying to escape. Its distinctive reddish color and narrow face were clearly captured on camera.

Kirill Osin, head of Eco Mangystau, provided his insight after reviewing the footage. "I'm not an expert on wolves and jackals, but I think it's probably a common jackal. The red wolf has distinct characteristics, such as a long, fox-like tail with a black tip, a short pointed muzzle, and large ears with rounded tips perched high on the head. These features were not visible in the video," he explained.

Adilbek Kozybakov, Chairman of the Regional Ecological Council of the ECOJER Association and member of the Public Council of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, shared a similar viewpoint. He concluded that the animal in the video is likely an ordinary jackal, which is sometimes called a red wolf due to its brownish color. He noted that red wolves have not been found in Kazakhstan for the past 50 years.

Historically, the red wolf ranged from the Tien Shan and Altai Mountains to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, and the Malay Archipelago. Its primary habitats included mountainous and forested regions of Central and South Asia, including parts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan (Tien Shan, Pamir).