Tim is greeted by Ertne Bakaev, the deputy prime-minister of Kalmikia. Here he presents Tim with a Chechen Kinzshal knife. The meeting was organized by Anna Luschenko and Yury Nimeecich Arylov who have provided invaluable support for Tim in Russia.
Yury Nimeevich, professor, and director of the Centre for Wild Animals. Here they are on the fence which protects the Saiga from wolves. They began with 12 wild newborn in 2000, and now have some forty Saiga.
Tim Filming the Saiga in camoflauge so as not to scare the Saiga who can run at speeds of 70km an hour in flight mode.
Presentation at local schools, a talk at the Insitute for Humanitarian Science, and a meeting with the head of the administration of the Yashkulski Region were all part of the whirlwind tour of Elista. He was given piles of books including the national epic in Russian, and a silk white scarf known as a 'Khaduk' which is given in honour of a guest and for a fortunate and fruitful road ahead. The interest was mutual between Tim and the locals who were intrigued to hear about the steppe of their ancestors- the oirat mongols who came acrossthe steppe in the 16th century.
The new Buddhist temple in Elista- regarded as the largest in Europe.
