On the initiative of schoolchildren Tatarstan takes under protection rare species of birds and plants

On 1 August, speaking at a briefing in the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers, the Chairman of the State Committee of the republic on bioresources Fedor Batkov reported that every year about 400 administrative violations on average at specially protected areas are detected and from 60 to 80 criminal cases are opened in the republic.

“In 2022 as many as 70m rubles of losses have been prevented in Tatarstan. Our aim is not to punish, to fine or to bring to criminal responsibility. Our main objective is to prevent incidents and violations on these areas and to attract attention of all residents of the republic to raising ecological awareness,” he said.

Fedor Batkov explained that the most frequent violations revealed by inspections are illegal appropriation of land plots, construction of housing on them, access roads and parking in the water body buffer zones.

The Head of the Leninogorsk municipality executive committee Zulfiya Mikhaylova told at the briefing about the natural sanctuary Poksh Pando established by the initiative of school children from School 2 of Leninogorsk with the aim of preservation of a unique and beautiful natural landscape and for protection of rare species of birds and plants such as silver and feather grass, the Montagu's harrier, kestrel and the imperial eagle, the last one being listed in the Red Books of Russia and Tatarstan.  .

Fedor Batkov also informed that 631 species of animals, mushrooms and plants, that are rare and in danger of extinction, have been taken under protection in the republic. They are all listed in the Red Book of Tatarstan and their preservation should be given special attention, he said.

He also told about the forth edition of the Tatarstaa Red book to be published in 2025 with the total cost of work about 10m rubles.