The manul is a rare wild cat that inhabits the Kopetdag and the Great Balkan Mountains of Turkmenistan and is rarely seen due to its secretive lifestyle. Recently, the animal was spotted in the Dogrydere area of the Kopetdag Nature Reserve, giving scientists new opportunities to study its distribution and ecology, according to the news website Asmannews.

In December, experts found traces of manuls and other wild cats at various altitudes in the Ruhabat Valley, including marks at around 1,500 metres. The manul is listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan, the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, and is protected by the CITES Convention. Large groups of wild boars were also spotted in the observation area.