Documentary Film Gives Voice to Threatened Central Asian Tortoise

• British director Saxon Bosworth has released TASBAQA, a short documentary highlighting the life and environmental threats facing the Central Asian tortoise.
• The species inhabits the Ustyurt Plateau, a vast clay desert spanning Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
• Human activity, including illegal trade, accidental killing, and habitat disruption from cattle trenches, poses a significant threat to the tortoise's survival.
• The documentary was produced in partnership with the Tasbaqa Fund to raise awareness for the species' conservation.

Documentary Scope and Themes

• The film depicts the tortoise's "active window," which lasts only two to three months from late March to May, after which the animal hibernates for up to 10 months.
• It emphasizes the million-year-old symbiotic relationship between the tortoise and the extreme landscape of the Ustyurt Plateau.
• Director Saxon Bosworth sought to capture the animal's "bold, wild life" to humanize a creature that is often misunderstood or overlooked.

Cultural Soundtrack

• The film features a soundtrack composed of traditional Kazakh music performed by two masters of the dombra, a two-string instrument.
• The score uses different regional styles to match the tortoise's activities:
  • Ali Akyltai performs soft, tender Shertpe kuy for scenes depicting the tortoise's daily routine.
  • Kosaman Saparbayev provides dramatic, epic Tokpe kuy for conflict-related sequences in the film.

Conservation Impact

• Yuliya Zaugg of the Tasbaqa Fund notes that the film provides a voice for the threatened species, helping to advocate for its protection.
• The project aims to build a community of allies and supporters for the Tasbaqa Fund's ongoing conservation efforts in Central Asia.