Saiga antelopes play a critical ecological role in Central Asian steppe ecosystems. Their welfare and population health are interconnected with the health of one of the world's most endangered grassland biomes.
Saiga welfare is inseparable from the steppe ecosystem that supports them. Habitat fragmentation from fencing and agriculture disrupts migrations that are essential for accessing seasonal food resources — disrupted migrations cause nutritional stress and reproductive failure. The 2015 mass mortality event demonstrated the catastrophic welfare impact that can occur when stressed populations encounter pathogen exposure under unusual climatic conditions. The remarkable recovery since then reflects the effectiveness of hunting bans and habitat protection in enabling natural population resilience. Maintaining connected steppe habitat and reducing agricultural encroachment into core saiga range are the highest-priority welfare interventions.