The saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) is subject to one of the most dramatic wildlife welfare crises of the 21st century. Mass mortality events caused by Pasteurella multocida triggered by unusual weather conditions have killed hundreds of thousands of animals in single events.
Mass mortality events cause suffering on an extraordinary scale: hundreds of thousands of animals dying from acute haemorrhagic septicaemia over days, with limited ability for veterinary intervention at such scale. Survivors of mortality events show disrupted social structure, as males that survive to protect harems may be insufficient for breeding. Calves orphaned in mass mortality events cannot survive independently. Poaching for male saiga horns disrupts sex ratios, reducing breeding success. Conservation welfare requires both disease surveillance with rapid response capability and habitat protection that prevents the climate-driven weather anomalies triggering pathogen activation.