Course:CONS200/2023WT2/A conservation success story: The recovery of the Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) from the brink of extinction

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The recovery of the Saiga Antelope has been deemed a success, as a result of combined efforts between governments, non-government organizations, research organizations, and local communities over the past two decades[1]. Saiga, a species that was once at risk of extinction has rebounded, specifically the population in Kazakhstan, which has been reclassified as near threatened by the IUCN Red List; a significant step forward as the antelope has previously been categorised as critically endangered[2]. However, the struggle continues for Saiga that inhabit Uzbekistan, Russia, and Mongolia, as their population sizes are still dangerously low[2]. As of late 2023, population numbers in Russia hovered at nearly 40,000, with 500 in Uzbekistan, and about 16,000 in Mongolia[1]. With the continuous support of federal governments, range state governments, research organizations, and national and international NGOs, conservation agreements have continued to be signed, and revitalization efforts persist for the Saiga antelope in these countries[3]. Following the success rates of recent conservation actions, the co-founder of Saiga Conservation Alliance, Professor Dame E.J. Milner Gulland has spoken of the importance of joint efforts between organizations and local people, researchers, and environmental activists[1].

History & Background of the Saiga Antelope

History

Saiga antelope date back to the Ice age, and as David Attenborough stated, Saiga antelope were "small but tough animals that lived alongside woolly mammoths" in the Eurasian Steppe[1]. Over the course of evolution, their bodies adapted to the changing climate, leading to the development of their famous swollen nostrils, used to filter dust and cool their blood during hot, dry summers, and act as a radiator in winter to warm the cold air before it enters their lungs[4]. Other seasonal adaptations include a thick winter coat that the Saiga antelope shed when temperatures increase during summer[4]. Today, the species inhabit Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Uzbekistan, countries that consist of high passes and mountains, desert regions, and treeless grasslands[5]. Saiga's spring migration can be tracked in a north-westerly direction, while in autumn, they tend to return towards the south-east[6]. Migration routes are confined to flat areas of plain, with the Saiga avoiding natural and artificial obstacles and travelling through areas with abundant food and water[6].

How Saiga Antelope Support Biodiversity

Saiga antelope play an important role in ecosystem health; positively influencing the vegetation they feed on and dispersing nutrients into the ground, through feeding, soil trampling, and seed dispersal.[1]. The antelope remain a keystone species of the Central Asian steppe, which, following the extinctions of wild horse and ass, lack significant competition for the dry desert-like grasslands[7]. Their role as grazers is critical to maintaining the vegetation for the unique ecology of the area, as well as for that of local herders[7]. Through these mechanisms, Saiga antelope support a higher rate of biodiversity, and their loss would have a substantially harmful affect on the environment[1].

Natural Threats to Saiga Antelope

Saiga Antelope

Drought

The effect of drought on the Saiga populations is often indirect, though dehydration can pose a serious threat to the antelope species[8]. Often, a drought will be accompanied by the presence of disease and predators, as well as a diminished source of available food[8]. As a result, the health of Saiga significantly decreases during these dry periods[8]. Drought can also cause a decrease in pregnancy rates and an increase in stillbirths[8]. Female Saiga also experience shortened preganancies, resulting in impaired development of the calves[8].

Harsh Winters

From about 1970 to the mid 1990s, Saiga populations drastically declined due to harsh winters of dense and deep snow, often resulting in a lack of accessible food sources[8]. These perilous winters tend to follow summer seasons of drought, resulting in a lack of nutrition in months prior to the cold season[8]. Therefore, Saiga are not at their peak state of health when entering the perilous months, making them more vulnerable to the effects of harsh winters[8].

Between 1971 and 1972 in Kazakhstan, the harsh winter climate was a direct cause of the deaths of around 400,000 members of the Saiga population, and thousands more died in between the years of 1972 to 1973[8]. Each year, there is a 30 to 40% chance of a mildly oppressive winter occurring, and about a 10% chance that the winter will have extreme, fatal consequences for the Saiga species[8].

Diseases

Many diseases have effected Saiga antelope, but two of the most significant have been foot-and-mouth disease, a contagious viral infection, as well as pasteurellosis, a bacterial infection caused by Pasteurella bacteria[8]. Foot-and-mouth disease brought many detrimental impacts between the years of 1955 and 1967[8]. One such outbreak occurred in 1967, in which the disease spread widely through Kazakhstan and killed 50,000 calves[8]. The disease mainly affected the Saiga calves, and has not caused further devastation to Saiga populations since that date[8]. Pasteurellosis was similarly fatal, and many outbreaks in the 1980s killed an approximate 600,000 antelope[8]. There have been many other diseases and similar fatalities that have cropped up over the years, some of which include, but are not limited to necrobateriosis, brucellosis, toxoplasmosis and diplococcal infections, though none have been as severe as foot-and-mouth disease or pasteurellosis[8].

Additional Threats

Though the main reasons for mass decline in Saiga populations are more specific, there have been other causes of the decrease in population abundance that often go unnoticed[8]. Some causes of death within the species include heavy rainfall or hail, freezing and frost, as well as drowning in rivers or lakes[8]. Most of these examples threaten only Saiga calves, though the latter has been known to affect vast numbers of Saiga populations[8]. For example, in 1948 in Kazakhstan, while attempting to cross the River Chu while migrating, hundreds of Saiga antelope drowned[8]. Reasons for the fatalities vary, but one cause can be attributed to unstable layers of ice on the surface of the body of water[8].

Predators

Of all of the predators faced by the Saiga antelope, wolves pose the greatest threat[6]. Wolves have been witnessed eating up to six Saiga antelope calves within one hour; the species have been found to be a regular source of food for these predators over the years[6]. Saiga are more frequently hunted during the autumn months, when wolf cubs have grown and are capable of preying on other species, as well as in the winter months, in which Saiga are more vulnerable[6]. Approximately 23% of the antelope are killed by wolves annually, half of which are calves[6]. Until the 1980s, there had been a price on the head of wolves in Kazakhstan, and once that price was removed, wolf population numbers increased while those of Saiga decreased[6].

Dogs, both wild and trained, are also considerable predators responsible for a number of Saiga deaths[6]. Unlike wolves, however, dogs are not as focused on killing for food, as they will often hunt newborn Saiga calves and leave the corpses behind[6]. Despite the threat that canines such as these pose to Saiga antelope, there are more significant factors that lead to the species' decline[6].

Anthropogenic Threats to Saiga Antelope

Poaching & Illegal Hunting

The greatest contributor to the decline in Saiga antelope populations is poaching. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, illegal hunting rates increased, and Saiga became a prime target for hunters[9]. Not only are the meat and skin highly sought after, but substances contained in Saiga male horns became coveted for traditional Chinese medicines, where they can earn up to $100 per kilogram[9]. The medicine made from Saiga horns, called Ling Yang Drink “羚羊水”, is thought to possess properties that can relax and clean the liver, alleviate wind-related issues, improve vision, and cool and detoxify the body, as well as lowering fevers, and aiding in rashes and restlessness[10]. High demand for the medicine and the possibility for illegal trade have increased hunting rates and population decline of the Saiga antelope[1].

Land Use

Infrastructure development has also played a major role in the decline of the Saiga species, as an increase in extractive and linear industries has resulted in severe fragmentation of Saiga habitats[1]. An exhaustive number of Saiga deaths have been witnessed with the development of roads, railways, and pipeline installments[6]. Additionally, agriculture has had a significant affect on Saiga antelope, due to the expansion of human-managed land[6]. Farms have been intruding on Saiga migratory pathways, resulting in the antelope causing damage to crops and generating human-wildlife conflict[6]. There have been various attempts to discourage Saiga from entering and remaining on agricultural lands, mainly by using vehicles and airplanes to scare them away[6]. However, these attempts have proved to be unsuccessful, as they merely result in stress on the antelope, preventing them from reaching water sources, as well as discrepancy between people and Saiga antelope[6]. During the summer months, there is enough vegetation for Saiga and domestic animals to coexist in the same territory, but in the winter, the vegetation is more limited, and animal density is far greater[8]. Specifically, near the River Chu in Kazakhstan, vegetation is often damaged by the end of the winter due to the extent of animal feeding[8].

Conservation Efforts

Conservation Research

The Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK) has played an important role in the protection and restoration of the Saiga antelope by conducting extensive fieldwork on the species' seasonal patterns of migration[9]. Researchers at ACBK have used satellite tagging to track the location of the Saiga in Kazakhstan, in order to identify the boundary of their migration routes[9]. This has allowed the researchers to determine appropriate regions in which to establish and adjust natural reserves, in order for Saiga populations to thrive[9]. The ACBK has also implemented an outreach program for students in order to teach youth more about the local ecosystems[11].

Government Support & Collaboration

The government of Kazakhstan has also played a major role in restoring Saiga species numbers[12]. They have introduced a number of protected areas that expand across a total of approximately 5 million hectares of land, as a commitment to the long term support of protecting the Saiga antelope[11]. The government has also initiated anti-poaching measures, banning the hunting of Saiga and increasing security around borders[12]. The government of Kazakhstan has also established a game management reserve that covers a large area of the Saiga habitat, reaching 460,000 hectares of land inhabited by the species; managed by Tabigi Orta since 2022[13]. Tabigi Orta is a State Enterprise responsible for protecting Saiga in Kazakhstan[13]. The group of conservationists conducts regular inspections with the Nature Protection Police and 'Okhotzooprom' rangers to ensure the proper management of the Saiga antelope[13].

The Ministry of Ecology, Geology, and Natural Resources within the government of Kazakhstan collaborates with NGOs for the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative to protect Saiga populations in Kazakhstan[14]. The initiative includes rangers and specialists from Kazakhstan's government and involves NGOs to monitor Saiga by using satellite collars, drone cameras, and camera traps to track the antelope[14]. Camera traps follow species and take images used to identify their habitats, population numbers, as well as how they interact between themselves and with other species[15]. With the support of Kazakhstan's government, the initiative has established a wildlife corridor that protects two million hectares of land, following the migration route of Saiga travelling between the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve and Irgyz-Turgai State Nature Reserve[14]. The Altyn Dala program also incorporates border patrol trainees to track Saiga horns being transported out of the country, often using police dogs in order to detect them and mitigate the illegal poaching of the antelope[14]. Education is an important element of the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, in which field trips are organised which visit conservation areas and teach students about Saiga antelope, as well as the efforts implemented to protect them[14].

NGOs & Community Initiatives

Additionally, non-government organizations have made positive contributions to the restoration of Saiga antelope. In 2015, the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) met with local communities in the Ustyurt region of Kazakhstan to discuss the potential for community involvement in Saiga conservation[13]. In 2017, Dala Tabigati was established in Diyar village, a community-based NGO concerned with the protection of Saiga, which involves local herders in the region[13].

These organizations, societies, and government initiatives have been supported by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and CITES, which has assisted the organization of future agreements on the management methods of Saiga antelope, as well the integration of the International Work Programme on conservation and sustainable use of Saiga antelope[1]. CMS and CITES have also endorsed the government's initiative toward Saiga conservation and have been working with local communities living in regions home to the antelope habitats to determine methods of harmonious living between people and the Saiga antelope[1].

Conservation Success

On December 11, 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revised the classification of the Saiga antelope from critically endangered to near threatened, officially changing their Red Line status, an incredible feat and rarity in conservation[12]. This was due to a variety of ongoing conservation efforts such as anti-poaching laws, newly designated protected areas, continuous monitoring of the Saiga species, and community efforts[12]. In 2005, the total Saiga population in Kazakhstan stood at 50,000 individuals, but as a result of the implementation of conservation efforts over the span of two decades, due in great part to the Kazakhstan government, Saiga antelope numbers reached a total of 300,000 in 2015 and has since increased to over 1.9 million[11]. The government invested heavily in transformative action, including anti-poaching initiatives, strict law enforcement and border control measures, and the establishment of a series of new State Protected Areas[12].

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has played a crucial role in bringing together governments and civil society organizations across the Saiga range in agreement to protect the species[12]. While collaborating, they were able to implement an International Work Programme on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Saiga antelope, in coordination with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)[12]. Population numbers have also been increasing in Russia and Mongolia, as Mongolia has not reported any signs of poaching since 2018[1]. The work done to restore the Saiga population in Kazakhstan has been deemed a conservation success story, as it was one of the first World Restoration Flagships of the United Nations in 2022, a form of global recognition for successful environmental conservation efforts[11].

Path Forward

Although Saiga antelope have been reclassified as near threatened, the status of Saiga populations is subject to change with a deficit in continuing, long-term conservation actions[1]. The species will only be fully recovered if it regains its role in the ecosystem across its entire range[12]. Ongoing poaching, illegal trade, disease, climate change, disturbance and infrastructure development all pose significant threats to the antelope[12]. The shift of the species’ category to near threatened reflects the potential for its status to deteriorate rapidly in the absence of ongoing conservation involvement[12]. While Kazkhstan's populations have increased tremendously, the Saiga populations in Mongolia and Russia are low, but have been growing slowly in recent years[3]. Most concerning is the number of Saiga in Uzbekistan, a population still considered critically endangered[3]. When referring to the Saiga antelope, Professor Milner-Gulland of Oxford University, and chaur of the Saiga Conservation Alliance, announced, "The work is not finished, because there are still many threats that need to be addressed"[1]. Resulting actions have been taken, specifically during the Fourth Meeting of the Signatory States to the CMS Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope[3]. During this meeting, an agreement was established between Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Uzbekistan, regulating the harvesting of Saiga antelope[3]. Considering human settlement locations and Saiga population levels, regulations were made about how Saiga could be sustainably used as a food source[3].

An international Work Programme and Action Plan on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope has implemented conservation efforts, in coordination with CITES[12]. These initiatives have included enforcing laws against poaching, increasing habitat health and functionality, monitoring population numbers, and involving the community in these efforts[12]. Other institutions such as the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, NABU, Wildlife Conservation Society, and WWF-Mongolia, along with the Saiga Conservation Alliance continue to closely monitor the fluctuating populations of Saiga antelope, taking note of recent data and responding accordingly[12]. According to NABU, herders are now protecting the Saiga as well[16].

Local communities will continue to preserve the Saiga antelope as they consider Saiga antelope an important part of their cultural identity[16]. Economic incentives are also planned to be distributed in return for conservation actions[16]. Other novel conservation methods plan to include ecotourism and legal and sustainable hunting of Saiga[16].

Conclusion

Kazakstan's population of Saiga antelope has increased significantly, and been the most successful out of all of the four countries home to the species. In 2005, when the population of Saiga antelope stood at around 50,000 individuals in Kazakhstan, the species had fallen under the category of critically endangered according to the IUCN's Red List Categories. Since then, significant measures have been implemented to bolster population figures, including initiatives to combat poaching, strengthened law enforcement and border control measures, the creation of several significant State Protected Areas, land preservation efforts, ongoing monitoring, and community engagement[12]. As a result of these efforts, numbers have since increased to over 1.9 million and have been moved up to the near threatened category on the IUCN's Red List[2].

Although Saiga have significantly recovered since 2005, there are still many concerns about their conservation that have yet to be addressed. Kazakhstan has made an incredible achievement, however, there is still room to move forward. Russia, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia now need to make the next step to help this failing species. Governments, local communities, non-government organizations, and research organizations have all made significant contributions to the increase in Saiga species numbers, and are continuing to propose solutions and form agreements in order to protect the Saiga antelope.

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 "Unprecedented conservation triumph: Saiga antelope return from the red list". University of Oxford. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Saiga Antelope: A Conservation Success Story". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Bonn (27 October 2021). "Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals" (PDF). UN environment programme. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Saiga: World's quirkiest antelope". Fauna & Flora.
  5. ↑ "Saiga". San Diego Zoo Animals and Plants.
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 Bekenov, A. B. (March 1998). "The ecology and management of the Saiga antelope in Kazakhstan". Mammal review. 28: 22 – via University of British Columbia.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Robinson, Sarah; Kock, Richard Anthony. "Saiga Antelope". ScienceDirect.
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 Bekenov, A. B.; Grachev, Iu. A.; Milner-Gulland, E. J. (26 June 2002). "Mammal Review". Wiley Online Library. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Kazakhstan saved its Saiga antelope from near extinction. Here is how". YouTube. 10 April 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "REFRESHING BENEFITS OF LING YANG DRINK". SINGAPORE PAINCARE TCM WELLNESS.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Kazakhstan's golden steppe shines again". UN Environment Programme. n.d. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  12. ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 "SAIGA RECLASSIFIED FROM CRITICALLY ENDANGERED TO NEAR THREATENED IN IUCN RED LIST". Wildlife Conservation Network. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":3" defined multiple times with different content
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Michel, Stefan; Muzbay, Aibat; Dieterich, Til (26 January 2023). "First Community-based Area for Saiga Conservation in Kazakhstan". Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative; Restoring Kazakh Landscapes and Livelihoods". Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Camera Trapping". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "Return of the saiga antelope". NABU.


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