Wildlife

Wild Saiga Antelope Mass Die-Off Welfare Crisis

Saiga antelopes experienced catastrophic mass die-off events killing over half the population. Understanding the drivers informs welfare-focused conservation management.

Key Facts

In 2015, over 200,000 saigas died within weeks from haemorrhagic septicaemia
Climate warming and abnormal humidity triggered normally-harmless bacteria to become pathogenic
Population has partially recovered due to high reproductive rate - females birth twins
Saiga populations collapsed from millions to hundreds of thousands through poaching then disease

Welfare Considerations

Saiga welfare crises from mass mortality events are linked to climate extremes that activate bacterial pathogens. Monitoring health indicators and developing rapid response capacity for future events is the primary welfare management priority alongside ongoing anti-poaching efforts.

What You Can Do

Support Saiga Conservation Alliance in Kazakhstan and Russia
Follow Royal Veterinary College saiga health monitoring research
Advocate for climate adaptation strategies that reduce pathogen risk to wildlife