Saigas are critically endangered ungulates that have experienced catastrophic mass die-off events. Their welfare and conservation illustrate the vulnerability of specialist steppe species.
The 2015 saiga mass mortality event represents one of the most dramatic welfare disasters in wild animal conservation history — 200,000 animals dying within days from a bacterial infection triggered by specific climatic conditions. The scale of individual suffering in such events — animals in respiratory distress and systemic failure across an entire landscape — is difficult to conceptualise but represents real welfare impacts on an enormous number of sentient individuals. Climate change increasing the frequency of triggering conditions means these events may become more common. Conservation work on saigas includes reducing poaching pressure, addressing livestock grazing competition, and building resilience in remaining populations. The species' capacity for rapid population recovery when protected from hunting provides hope for long-term recovery.