The saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) experienced one of the most dramatic population crashes in wildlife history — from approximately 1 million in 1990 to fewer than 50,000 by 2003 from poaching for horn trade. A mass mortality event in 2015 killed approximately 200,000 saiga (60% of the global population) within a few weeks — attributed to hemorrhagic septicemia triggered by unusual weather conditions. Recovery has been partial; population reached approximately 1.3 million by 2022 in Kazakhstan before another die-off event.
Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) — the world's last truly wild horse species — was extinct in the wild by the 1970s. Coordinated zoo breeding and reintroduction programs have established wild populations in Mongolia (Hustai Nuruu, Khomiin Tal), China (Kalamaili), and Ukraine (Chernobyl Exclusion Zone). Welfare monitoring of reintroduced horses includes health surveillance, behavioral observation, and population management. ~2,000 individuals now exist in semi-wild managed herds and free-ranging reintroduced groups.
The great bustard (Otis tarda) — the world's heaviest flying bird — depends on extensive steppe and farmland. The species has declined severely with agricultural intensification. Spain holds the world's largest population (~30,000); Eastern European and Russian populations are significantly smaller. Welfare threats include powerline collisions (leading cause of mortality in some populations), road kills, agricultural machinery, and nest disturbance during breeding.
The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) has declined by over 80% since the 1970s, recently classified as Endangered. Causes include poisoning from veterinary drugs in carcasses (particularly diclofenac, which killed millions of vultures in South Asia and affects steppe eagles consuming contaminated prey), power line electrocution, and habitat loss. Migration route tracking has revealed welfare hotspots along the flyway.