Red-listed Alatau Crocus blossoms near Almaty

Staff at the Ile-Alatau State National Park are witnessing a rare occurrence — the winter flowering of the Alatau crocus (Crocus alatavicus), a species listed in the Red Book.

“Typically, this endemic species emerges only in March or April. This year, however, unstable and unusually warm weather prompted it to bloom much earlier,” the park administration said.

Park staff are urging visitors to follow nature protection guidelines: avoid picking or damaging the flowers and treat their natural habitat with care.

The park also emphasized that protecting rare species is a shared responsibility for all.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel), a rare plant known for its unusually late flowering period, has bloomed at the Main Botanical Garden of Almaty.