Translated with AI
In early April, a video appeared on social networks showing a Kazakh woman picking flowers in a field. The bouquet turned out to be unusually expensive – 12 million tenge, because the woman picked Greig tulips, listed in the Red Book, Tengrinews.kz reports.
What's happened In early April, a video appeared online of a woman who allegedly picked Greig tulips, which are listed in the Red Book. It turned out that the woman had come to the Uyalyzhar rural district of the Ordabasy region from Shymkent. The police established her identity and opened a case under Part 1 of Article 339 of the Criminal Code – "Illegal handling of rare and endangered species, as well as species of plants or animals prohibited for use."
The article provides for punishment in the form of a fine of up to 3,000 MCI (about 12 million tenge in 2025), or correctional labor in the same amount, or 800 hours of community service, or restriction/imprisonment of liberty for up to 3 years.
Investigation details
As reported by the Turkestan Region Police Department, the Kazakhstani woman who picked the bouquet of tulips confessed to the crime.
"A preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior has been chosen for the woman. The necessary measures are currently being taken to establish all the circumstances," the police said in response to an official request from the editorial board of Tengrinews.kz.
The regional prosecutor's office, in turn, reported the appointment of a forensic examination – to find out whether the plucked flowers are truly listed in the Red Book. Based on its results, the actions of the Shymkent resident will be given a legal assessment.
Is the Greig tulip really that rare? Greig's tulip (Tulipa greigii) is a truly special and rare tulip species that grows mainly on the mountain slopes of Central Asia, especially in Kazakhstan. It was first described in the 19th century by botanist Albert Regel and named after Samuel Greig, president of the Imperial Russian Horticultural Society.
Greig's tulip is considered rare, especially in the wild, and is listed in the Red Book of several countries. The reasons include the destruction of natural habitats, over-collection of wild plants, and a low rate of reproduction in the wild.
