Along the delta of a Central Asian river, conservationists in Kazakhstan have planted tens of thousands of trees in an effort to resurrect a habitat that disappeared generations ago.
The undertaking seeks to regenerate a distinctive riverine woodland, the tangled floodplain forest that once fringed the water and sheltered abundant wildlife.
This was the domain of the Caspian tiger, a magnificent predator that hunting and relentless habitat destruction wiped out entirely.
Since that particular tiger can never be recovered, scientists have selected the genetically similar Amur tiger to fill the vacant ecological role.
Should the reforestation succeed and prey populations rebound, the newcomers might eventually establish themselves where their relatives once reigned.
Restoring an apex predator to a landscape it has long abandoned demands meticulous planning, sustained funding, and the cooperation of local communities.
Observers regard the venture as among the most audacious tiger reintroduction initiatives ever conceived.