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At Karaganda University named after academician E.A. Buketov, on the basis of the Faculty of Biology and Geography, there is a club “Alive”, whose members conduct ornithological research aimed at solving one of the pressing environmental problems of Kazakhstan, namely the preservation of biological diversity. “Most often we work on reservoirs, since the rich food supply allows us to photograph many species of birds in one place. Along the route we set, we conduct field records: we determine time, temperature, coordinates, wind speed, number of species and number of individuals. During our work, we use optics, cameras, binoculars and other identifiers,” says Eva Shishkina, a 4th year student majoring in Biology. According to her, the data obtained during the monitoring process is carefully analyzed. On their basis, scientific articles are written and published, which can be useful not only to local specialists, but also to scientists around the world when working with the fauna of the Republic of Kazakhstan. “Today, we are improving our methods and learning to statistically analyze the results obtained for a more detailed description of the state of the avifauna, both for real time and for further forecasting the prospects for its development,” the student said. Of particular interest are species listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan and the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, however, recording common species is also important. In this regard, a representative of the falcon family, the common kestrel, has been monitored for several years. “In my first year of study, with the advent of a modern camera at the faculty, I managed to capture this unusual bird. The fact is that every year, for several decades, kestrels nest and breed in niches under the roof of our building. In 2020, I wrote and published an article on this topic. And three years later, with the support of the leadership, teachers and students, the common kestrel was depicted on the wall of our building. We can say that the bird has become a symbol of the Faculty of Biology and Geography. Therefore, members of the “Alive” club will continue to record her stay every subsequent season,” concluded Eva Shishkina.
