Voices from Karakalpakstan’s Youth: A Story About Nature and Our Duty to Protect It
Nature means all that is connected to the origin of humanity and human activities. It includes the universe - the world, humans, cosmos, and all micro, macro, and mega systems. It consists of lifeless and living things and serves as the foundation for the natural sciences. Nature operates under its own laws, unaffected by human intentions. While we, as humans, are part of nature, we cannot change its fundamental rules - we can only adapt and utilize its elements to suit our needs.
In a video I recently watched, people were disregarding their responsibilities to nature, ignoring the laws of nature. In the video, I saw someone throwing waste into water. As a result of this littering, I observed that aquatic animals were suffocating from lack of oxygen. I felt compassion for those creatures as they struggled.
Currently, in Karakalpakstan and Uzbekistan, many species face the threat of extinction. Among them are the Aral sturgeon, the Amu Darya shovelnose sturgeon, the whitefish of the Aral Sea, the white carp, the Ustyurt mountain sheep, the Turkmen kulan, and the goitered gazelle—all listed in the Red Book of endangered species. According to the information on the website "Kun.uz," the most endangered animal in Uzbekistan is the saiga.
Today, approximately a hundred saigas remain in Uzbekistan. Research by members of the Zoology Institute of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences and the "Saigachiy" sanctuary has concluded that the saiga is an endangered species, and it is on the brink of complete extinction. In February 2021, a saiga population census was conducted at the sanctuary, with members of the Endangered Species Monitoring and Cadastre Laboratory contributing to this vital work.
Friends, let’s unite to ensure these animals do not disappear entirely and show our support. Isn’t this our sacred duty? These animals are our wealth! Let’s not allow them to vanish.
Aqilbek Xojanazarov