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The saiga saga

The saiga antelope Saiga tatarica tatarica, is superbly adapted to the harsh conditions of the grass and semi-desert steppes of Central Asia, which are among the last remaining wilderness areas in Eurasia. Formerly occurring in spectacular herds tens of thousands strong, comparable to the great migrations of East Africa, this charismatic and unique ungulate has been decimated in the last decade by extreme poaching pressure.

Despite its ability to endure the extremes of nature, the saiga cannot withstand the increasing human-related pressures from hunting and habitat degradation or fragmentation. The world population of saiga antelope has declined catastrophically in recent years, crashing by 95% from over one million in the 1990s to an estimated 30,000 (in four isolated populations) in 2004. This once common species is now listed as Critically Endangered and is in serious danger of imminent extinction.

Research by FFI partners at Imperial College London and the Institute of Zoology in Uzbekistan indicate that the collapse of rural economies across the saiga’s range has been a major factor driving an unsustainable increase in poaching, primarily for the antelope’s horn, an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

Fauna & Flora International is focusing on the relationship between rural livelihoods and increased poaching on the Ustyurt plateau in both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Working with local NGOs and in partnership with the Institute of Zoology, FFI is helping to implement appropriate local and transboundary conservation initiatives, improving anti-poaching systems and protected area viability and developing appropriate alternative livelihood opportunities.

FFI and the Uzbek Institute of Zoology are collaborating with the national and regional governments in Uzbekistan to address the needs of the only protected area on the Ustyurt specifically designated for saiga antelope protection. Currently little more than a line on a map, the needs of the Park and the biodiversity it protects are being assessed and efforts to involve the local communities in the management of the park have begun.

Working with communities is the key to the conservation of saiga in the region and FFI has been leading on community engagement for the last five years, through small grants programmes and education and public awareness campaigns. The initiatives focus on the poorest individuals and groups within the rural communities, as these are the people involved in poverty-driven poaching. Small grants have supported workshops for a mechanic, a joiner and a welding operation, water pumps for remote pasture for livestock, a greenhouse for vegetable production for local schools, bakeries and sewing guilds. Community groups of ‘Saiga Friends’ have been formed to act as advocates for conservation in the communities and to provide individuals to be trained as rangers, to support scientific research and saiga monitoring.

FFI is also a supporting member of The Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA),  a network of scientists and conservationists working on grassroots projects informed by sound science in saiga range states, bringing stakeholders together to emphasize human needs and to act as a catalyst for sustainable conservation solutions.