Scientists from the Kopetdag, Bathyz, Koytendag and Gaplangyr state nature reserves carried out a joint expedition in the high-altitude regions of Kopetdag to search for traces of the manul — a rare feline predator. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal.

In the 4th edition of the Red Book of Turkmenistan, published in 2024, the manul was classified as an ‘endangered species’. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as a species of least concern, although it was previously classified as near threatened.

According to scientific data, the manul was commonly found in the mountains of Turkmenistan in the late 19th and mid-20th centuries; however, little precise information about its habitats has survived.

Surveys conducted by nature reserves since 2018 have recorded the manul on Mount Dushakerek within the Kopetdag Nature Reserve, on Mount Murze, in the Dashtoy Valley and in the Greater Balkans. This winter, staff from the Balkan Environmental Protection Department used camera traps to record the manul on Mount Lesser-Balkan.

The manul is one of the smallest wild cats. In appearance, it resembles a domestic cat, but is distinguished by a shorter, stockier body, short legs, round pupils, low-set ears and thick, long fur – the fluffiest of any feline. Its coat is usually grey, with reddish or ochre patches.

The manul is found in Central Asia, as well as in Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, China and India. It is not adapted to running fast, but is well camouflaged, leads a cautious lifestyle and takes refuge in rock crevices, other animals’ burrows or the grass. As a result, the manul is rarely encountered by humans and remains a poorly understood species.