Tasbaqa: Central Asian Tortoise on the Ustyurt PlateauCEFR A2
31 Aug 2025
Adapted from Vlast.kz, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by GWANGJIN GO, Unsplash
The Ustyurt Plateau is a large clay desert that crosses Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and western Kazakhstan. The Central Asian tortoise lives there and is called Tasbaqa in Kazakh. Human activity now is the main threat: tortoises are traded, sometimes killed by accident, and they can become trapped in cattle trenches.
British director Saxon Bosworth first found the plateau in 2020 on the Karakalpak side while documenting artemia brine shrimp. He made a short documentary, TASBAQA, which follows one day that represents the tortoise’s two-to-three month active period. The film was shown in July at the Royal Geographical Society in London and has a traditional dombra soundtrack. The project aims to raise awareness and help the Tasbaqa Fund.
Difficult words
- tortoise — A slow-moving land reptile with a shell.tortoises, tortoise's
- ecosystem — A group of living things and their environment.
- lives — The natural home of a plant or animal.
- adapt — To change to fit a new environment.
- hibernates — To sleep for a long time for survival.
- traditional — Related to customs or practices from the past.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How do you think human activities affect ecosystems?
- Why is it important to document animal life?
- What feelings did the music evoke for you during the film?
Related articles
Molecules in million‑year‑old fossils show a warmer, wetter past
Researchers extracted metabolism molecules from fossil bones aged 1.3–3 million years. Analyses of animal and plant metabolites reveal diets, infections and local environments and suggest the study sites were warmer and wetter than today.
Soil carbon breaks down at very different rates across the US
A study finds that soil carbon decomposition rates across the United States can vary greatly. Researchers used lab incubations, machine learning and mapping to show regional differences and implications for climate models.
COP30 in Belém: big finance deal but no clear fossil fuel cuts
COP30 ended in Belém on 22 November with a large finance package to mobilise US$1.3 trillion a year by 2035, but delegates did not secure clear commitments to cut fossil fuel use. Talks saw a pavilion fire and ongoing debates on implementation.
AI and citizen photos identify Anopheles stephensi in Madagascar
Scientists used AI and a citizen photo from the GLOBE Observer app to identify Anopheles stephensi in Madagascar. The study shows how apps, a 60x lens and a dashboard can help monitor this urban malaria mosquito, but access and awareness limit use.