Ships of the steppes in the Volgograd region. Camels as a gift from Kazakhstan!

It's finally happened! An entire "steppe fleet" of 20 camels has officially returned home. These majestic animals, whose ancestors have roamed the local landscape for centuries, have arrived from Kazakhstan to the Volgograd region. Kazakh Bactrian camels are true symbols of nature's endurance and wisdom.

Eragy Gishlarkayev inspects the camels before shipping them to Russia.
Kazakhstan , Zhetysu region, Alakol district, Alakol-Agro LLC

Historical repatriation and genetic code:
Bactrian camels have always lived here. The northern routes of the Great Silk Road passed through these lands, where these two-humped giants were the main driving force.
For the Lower Volga region, the camel is not an exotic animal , but rather part of the steppe's genetic code and a symbol of an unbreakable connection with the nomadic cultures of the past.
In the Volgograd region, Bactrian camels were bred en masse until the 1940s . Later, with the development of roads and railways, camels lost their importance as horse-drawn transport and virtually disappeared from the region.

Today we are witnessing an act of historical justice. This is not only a magnificent gift from Kazakh businessman Baurzhan Ospanov —it is the return of a legend to its historical home.

Eragy Gishlarkaev (left) and Baurzhan Ospanov.
Kazakhstan, Zhetysu region, Alakol district, Alakol-Agro LLP

Three Years of Titanic Labor
The journey home has been long. Three years have passed since I asked Yeraghy ​​Isaevich Gishlarkayev, whose contribution to the development of Russian livestock farming is difficult to overstate: "When will Volgograd-Bactrian be?"

All this time, invisible but intense work was underway .
Crossing the border with live cargo requires impeccable compliance with veterinary legislation. Each animal underwent thorough inspection and numerous tests to guarantee the genetic purity of the population and the health of the entire herd. Bureaucracy, certificates, and approvals were finally left behind.

Why the Kazakh Bactrian?
The choice fell on the Kazakh Bactrian for a reason. These animals are renowned for their harmonious build and phenomenal adaptability to the harsh continental climate. They easily withstand both 40-degree heat and the harsh steppe frosts with icy winds. This is the ideal genetic material for creating a purebred nucleus to complement Russia's existing camel population.

Economic potential and "steppe gold"
The revival of camel breeding opens up new horizons for the region:
• Unique wool: Bactrian camels produce valuable down and wool with exceptional thermal insulation properties.
• Healing shubat: The production of shubat (fermented milk product) from camel milk can become the basis for a new direction in dietary nutrition.
• Dietary meat: Camel meat is in demand due to its high content of useful microelements and the absence of internal fat. Camel

meat .
Kazakhstan, Zhetysu region, Alakol district, Alakol-Agro LLC

"Steppe Cleaners" and Ecology:
Camels are ideal soil reclamation agents. Unlike other livestock, they eat thorns, wormwood, and saltwort, which sheep leave untouched. This allows for efficient pasture management and prevents degradation. Furthermore, their soft, calloused paw pads prevent soil breakdown, preserving the fragile steppe turf layer.

The Future: Selection and Genetics Center.
The camels are currently in mandatory quarantine under strict specialist supervision.
But soon they will be released into open pastures. Several females are expected to give birth to their first offspring in Volgograd this year.

Eragy Isayevich has ambitious plans. He plans to establish the only center in Russia for Kazakh Bactrian sheep at the Volgograd-Edilbay breeding and genetic center for the Edilbaev sheep breed , where the new "Povolzhsky" type has already been developed . Work ahead includes increasing the herd to several hundred heads, carefully selecting the offspring, and forming an elite breeding core.

And now the word to Eragy Isaevich Gishlarkaev

Author: Temirzhambas Edilbaev