Issue 15,Summer 2012

SAIGA NEWSPublished by the Saiga Conservation Alliance

The taxonomy of the saiga antelopeDavid P. Mallon

Co-Chair, IUCN Antelope Specialist Group, d.mallon@zoo.co.uk

Taxonomy is important, firstly because it shouldreflect as accurately as possible evolutionary historyand relationships between different forms, but alsoon a practical level: species units form the basis ofthe IUCN Red List, CITES Appendices and relatedlegislation, the Convention on Migratory Species andother international treaties and national legislation.Species are also widely used for conservationpriority setting at global, regional and local scales.The taxonomy of the saiga is summarised here in anattempt to clarify the situation, especially in view ofsome recent research.

As with many species, saiga has been known byseveral names over time, including S. imberbis. Thisname is invalid and the accepted scientific name isSaiga tatarica Linnaeus, 1766.

The Mongolian saiga was first described as aseparate species Saiga mongolica, based ondifferences in skull measurements, shape and size ofhorns, and colour of pelage by Bannikov (1946).However, the author soon revised his opinion andconsidered it to be only a subspecies S. imberbismongolica [= S. tataricamongolica] (Bannikov1954).

That arrangement, with two living subspecies (S. t.tatarica and S. t. mongolica) has been followed byalmost all experts to date (Ellerman and Morisson-Scott 1951, Heptner et al. 1961, Sokolov 1974,Corbet 1978, Sokolov & Zhirnov 1998) with threefossil saiga subspecies also recognised - S. t.borealis, S. t. prisca and S. t. binagadensis (e.g.Sokolov et al. 1998).

Kholodova et al. (2006) provided genetic evidenceto support this classification of living saigas. They

analysed mtDNA from 93 tissue samples from all 5 extantpopulations of saiga (3 in Kazakhstan, one in Russia, one inMongolia). The results showed “…slight but cleardifferences between S. t. mongolica and S. t. tatarica,

Continued on p.2.

Phot

o by

Vic

tor M

alee

v

This edition is funded by:

Providing a six-language forum for exchange of ideas and information about saiga conservation and ecology

The traditional classification of the saiga as a singlespecies Saiga tatarica was challenged by the allocation ofthe Mongolian subspecies to an extinct fossil form S.borealis in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World(Wilson & Reeder 2005). This change in status provedcontroversial.

Morphological features ofSaiga t. tatarica

2 Issue 15, Summer 2012

CONTENTSFeatureDavid P. Mallon The taxonomy of the saiga antelope …………...

UpdatesSteffen Zuther Construction of a fence along the border betweenKazakhstan and Uzbekistan ……….………………………...

Steffen Zuther Mass die-off in the Betpak-Dala population ………

Yury Grachev Results of the 2012 saiga aerial surveysin Kazakhstan ……………………………………………...

Natalia Shivaldova A new educational course for the schoolchildrenof Karakalpakstan ………………………………………….

Elena Bykova, Berdiyar Jollibekov and Nadezhda ArylovaSaiga Day 2012 ……………………………………………

Fenglian Li Saigas as a focus of the WCS-China Program’s SouthChina Project ……………………………………………..

Sevara Sharapova Biodiversity and the oil-and-gas industry ….…

Sonia Rozenfeld Ornithologists also like saigas ………………...

Aleksandr Klepalov The Golden Loon will deliver saigasfrom trouble ………………………………………………

Zhanna Aksartova An information campaign against the illegalsaiga horn trade has been launched …………………………..

Media reportsUpdate on fence construction on the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan borderActions against the saiga horn trade by Kyzylorda policeCreation of watering places will help to increase saiga numbersin KazakhstanElectric fence for saiga protectionIFAW will help to conserve the saiga in RussiaCases of saiga poaching and illegal trade

ArticlesBayarbaatar Buuveibaatar et al.Survival and spatial ecology of saiga calves in Mongolia ……….

Graham Elliott et al.Using participatory monitoring to assess saiga habitat use in thepre-Caspian region …………………………………………

Peter Damerell et al.Analysing environmental education on the Ustyurt Plateau ………

Aliya TelkarayevaA network of protected areas in the Irgyz-Turgai-Zhylanshikregion……………………………………………………..

E.J. Milner-GullandThe implications of the border fence on the Ustyurt plateau for thesaiga antelope, and options for mitigation……………………..

Saiga heroesArkady A. Sludsky, Kazakhstan................................................

1

3

4

5

11

12

16

22

9

10

17

Continued from p.1:confirming the current designation of S. t.mongolica as a subspecies rather than a species”.

Baryshnikov and Tikhonov (1994) reviewed theextinct forms of saiga, and raised S. borealis to afull species, based on size differences amongfossil specimens from Yakutia. They also said thatthis taxon survived in Mongolia as S. borealismongolica (i.e. assigning the Mongolian form toborealis and not tatarica). This opinion gainedmuch wider recognition when it was accepted byGrubb (2005) in the third edition of MammalSpecies of the World.

Groves and Grubb (2011) in their taxonomicrevision of the ungulates then reverted to Saigamongolica for the Mongolian saiga, citingBannikov. However, (1) they appear unaware thatBannikov himself had revised his original opinionand (2) they did not refer to, or discuss, thegenetic evidence from Kholodova et al. (2006).Groves and Grubb (2011) was in turn used as thebasis for the species accounts of ungulates in therecent Handbook of the Mammals of the World(Wilson and Mittermeier 2012).

The status of S. borealis as a separate specieshas been undermined by a recent genetic study byCampos et al. (2010) who analysed modern andfossil saiga using mtDNA from 27 ancient and 38modern specimens from all parts of the saigarange, including two ‘S. borealis’. The resultsshow two distinct saiga lineages: the first includesall modern and fossil saiga from northeast Yakutiaand the Urals. The second lineage occurs only inthe northern Urals and is now extinct. The authorsconclude: “….the data suggest that S. borealisdoes not constitute a distinct subspecies orspecies”. Furthermore, the authors of this studyinclude Baryshnikov and Tikhonov the co-authorsof the 1994 paper, and who therefore can be seento now support this revised view.

The genetic analysis by Kholodova et al. (2006)confirmed that Mongolian saiga was a subspeciesof S. tatarica, and the more recent study byCampos et al. (2010) showed that all living andmost fossil saiga were also S. tatarica, so the clearconclusion must be that the correct scientific nameof Mongolian saiga at present is Saiga tataricamongolica Bannikov, 1946.

All studies show that Mongolian saiga isslightly distinct from S. t. tatarica genetically, but

19

9

15

20

4

10

6

the genetic research so far has been based on mtDNA onlyand from a relatively small number of Mongolian samples.To obtain a definitive view of the phylogenetic relationshipbetween tatarica and mongolica, it would be useful to carryout a further analysis that also used nuclear DNA and with alager sample size. If such a study did show a species-leveldifferentiation, the rules of zoological nomenclature indicatethat the correct name would be S. mongolica, not S. borealis.

Kazakhstan (ACBK), and the companies “Wildlife Researchand Development” and “Fauna”. According to the surveys,the total number of saigas in Kazakhstan is 137,500 (in2011, it was 102,000), made up of the Betpak-dalapopulation – 110,000; Ustyurt – 6,500; Ural – 21,000. Ascompared to 2011, the population was 41% higher inBetpak-dala, 11% higher in Ural and 6.5% higher in Ustyurt.For additional information please contact the author.

more clearly distinctbased on cranialmeasurements, hornsize and shape, coatcolour and ecology.The two geneticstudies agree thatmongolica should beconsidered asubspecies. However,

The saiga antelope aerial survey was carried out inKazakhstan from the 8th to 26th of April, 2012, as acollaboration between the Institute of Zoology, Kazakhstan;the Committee of Forestry and Hunting of the Ministry ofAgriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan; theOkhotzooprom State Enterprise; regional territorialInspectorates of Forest and Hunting Management; theAssociation for the Conservation of Biodiversity in

In spring 2012, ACBK received informationabout the construction of a border fencebetween Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on theUstyurt plateau, which could become a barrierfor saiga migration as well as creating perfectconditions for poaching. ACBK contacted theCommittee of Forestry and Hunting of theMinistry of Agriculture of the Republic ofKazakhstan (CFH), requesting officialinformation about the ongoing construction,followed by a similar request by theConvention on Migratory Species.

Many saigas cross this border every year ontheir migration between their summer pasturesand calving grounds in the north and winterpastures in the south; a fence along the borderwould prevent this. The consequences for theUstyurt saiga population, which is still in acritical condition, are unforeseeable

3Saiga News

Phot

o by

Bay

arba

atar

Buu

veib

aata

r

Updates

Construction of a fence along the borderbetween Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

Steffen Zuther, ACBK, steffen.zuther@acbk.kz

The results of the 2012 saiga aerial surveys in KazakhstanYury A. Grachev, Institute of Zoology, Republic of Kazakhstan, teriologi@mail.ru

Editor’s Note: Please contact the author for fulldetails of the references cited.Morphological features of the Mongolian saiga

(Saiga t. mongolica)

Map. 1. Corridor suggested by the Institute of Zoology

population in West Kazakhstan (see SN-11, 13, 14). In totalin 2012, 926 animals were found dead, among them 759females, 19 males and 148 calves. The large die-off occurredafter calving. There were no clear disease symptomsobserved.

As part of a three-year State-fundedresearch programme on saiga diseases, theNational Research Centre on biosafety wasalready monitoring calving in the area,supported by ACBK. Although at the time ofthe monitoring there were no clear signs ofdisease, ongoing data analysis may provideinformation on the cause of death.

Several institutions were involved ininvestigating this die-off event. Veterinariansfrom Torgai, Kostanay, Astana and Almatywent to the field to establish the reason forthe deaths. Many rangers from the Stateenterprise “Okhotzooprom” were involved aswell as rangers from ACBK andrepresentatives of the Committee of Forestryand Hunting (CFH). According to an CFHofficial statement, pasteurellosis was thecause of the die-off. The dead animals wereburied on site and investigations are ongoing.

but potentially severe.The CFH consulted with the relevant

governmental borderagency, andreported that the fence is beingconstructed under a programme tostrengthen the exterior borders of thenew customs union between Russia,Belarus and Kazakhstan. The Instituteof Zoology has providedrecommendations for an open corridorat the border to guarantee anunimpeded saiga migration. (Map 1).

The CFH understands the importanceof this issue for the Ustyurt saigapopulation and is interested in learningabout experiences from other countriesin the design of migration paths andwildlife friendly fences.

In winter 2011/2012, before fenceconstruction was complete, saigaantelopes which had been collared withsatellite transmitters for the project “Ustyurt LandscapeConservation Initiative” implemented by FFI and ACBK,crossed the border (Map 2). FFI and ACBK will continueto monitor this issue through the telemetry programme.

Between 19th and 25th May 2012, a mass die-off of saigaantelopes occurred in the Zhangeldinskiy district, near themain calving area of the Betpak-dala population in the southof Kostanayprovinceof Kazakhstan. This die-off is alreadythe third after similar incidents in 2010 and 2011 in the Ural

4 Issue 15, Summer 2012

Mass die-off in the Betpak-Dala populationSteffen Zuther, ACBK, steffen.zuther@acbk.kz

Map 2. Border fence between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan andseasonal movements of two collared saigas

Map 1. Locationof saigadie-off sites in 2012

who was an expert in youth development. They brought ateaching pack “The saiga, a wonderful creature of nature”including a study guide for students, a tutorial guide forteachers, an educational board game and posters about saigabiology and the steppe ecosystem.

This teaching pack was prepared by the State Committeefor Nature Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan for theSaiga Conservation Alliance, with the assistance of thePenguin Club of the Disney-Canada Foundation. Theteaching pack was warmly received by the teachers, whilethe training seminar itself was conducted very dynamically.The teachers joined in with the development and preparationof festive events with great enthusiasm and inspiration. Thisecological initiative also received support from the localauthorities. This educational initiative is only a part of thelarge-scale activities going on for saiga conservation inUzbekistan, focused on preventing poaching.

Yet, in spite of all these efforts, once the snow thawed inspring, by habit or tradition, people went to the steppelooking for easy pickings at the price of saigas’ lives.

Only a short time ago, saiga migrations passed close bythe villages of the Ustyurt Plateau in Uzbekistan, and insevere winters animals often even entered the villages. Thesedays, you never see saigas near people - they graze in thefaraway, difficult to access parts of the Plateau; yet eventhere they remain within the reach of their main enemies –poachers, who come from the few villages scattered acrossthe steppe.

How can the students, teachers and other inhabitants of theUstyurt help the saiga antelope? Children can’t take part inraids to catch poachers. However, these brutal poachers wereonce schoolchildren, and have families themselves. Sincechildren are keen to acquire new information, it is reallyimportant to work with them to overcome their stereotypesof disrespectful and exploitative treatment of nature. It isimportant to give them as much information about the saigaas possible, and instill a feeling of pride that these uniqueantelopes are grazing on their native plains.

Since teachers are children’sguides to the world, it is essentialthat state-of-the-art teachingtechniques are available to helpthem to improve learning and makeit more entertaining. On April 4-8,we held meetings withrepresentatives of the localcommunity and seminars withsecondary school teachers in thevillages of Jaslyk, Karakalpakiyaand Kyrk-Kyz, as part ofpreparations for Saiga Day. Theteam comprised expert ecologistsfrom the Academy of Sciences ofUzbekistan, representatives of theSaiga Conservation Alliance and anexperienced training coordinator,

5Saiga News

Seminar participants in the village of Kyrk-Kyz

Phot

o by

Nat

alia

Shi

vald

ova

Natalia Shivaldova with teachers from Jaslyk village

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

A new educational course for the schoolchildren ofKarakalpakstan

Natalya Shivaldova, Econews.uz, nshivaldova@mail.ru

Seminar participants are discussing an educationalposter

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

foundation on which this many-faceted steppe ecosystem isbuilt. The saiga should be given at least a small chance ofsurvival and it will quickly recover, because of its naturalresilience. Unfortunately, this chance depends on more thanthe willpower of a team of enthusiastic environmentalists…

served as a school fence for a long time. As a result, the pipewas turned into an original artwork which has beautified notonly the schoolyard, but also the village as a whole.

The appearance of saiga meat in the markets is the tragicconfirmation of this. While traveling from village to villageacross the vast expanses of the Ustyurt, you begin to turnyour mind to other things. An absurd idea has stuck in mymind: “every time a saiga is shot and killed, the momentdraws nearer when all the saiga poachers disappear sincethere will be nothing to hunt for. There will be nobody to re-educate and no one to fight against if there are no saiga sonthe steppe”. But the steppe will soon turn into a lifelessspace like dead lunar landscapes, because the entireecosystem will collapse like a house of cards. The saiga isthe life-force of the steppe and all its inhabitants. It is the

The villages of Jaslyk and Karakalpakiya have been thevenues for this initiative in Uzbekistan; this year the villageof Kyrk-Kyz joined them. Hundreds of schoolchildren,adults and little kids participated in this event organized byschools, with the participation of the local administrationand assistance of the Saiga Conservation Alliance and theState Committee for Nature Protection of Uzbekistan.

The festivals were held in four schools, and were openedwith colourful concerts, quizzes, sports and art competitions.The festival was preceded by an ecological theme within theschools, including lessons on the saiga. The SaigaConservation Alliance gave awards to the five best teachers,who had prepared the most interesting and colorful lessons.A very successful graffiti competition for the 8th and 9thformers of Jaslyk was, perhaps, one of the most impressiveevents. First the children prepared drawings, which werethen transferred to an out-of-use, rusty gas pipe that had

6 Issue 15, Summer 2012

Graffiti competition

Saiga toys made by children

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

Saiga Day 2012

Saiga Day in UzbekistanElena Bykova, The Saiga Conservation Alliance, esipov@xnet.uz

Editor’s Note: If you would like a free copyof the teaching pack in the Karakalpak(electronic and paper versions) and Russianlanguages (electronic version), please apply toElena Bykova, esipov@xnet.uz.

This ecological festival dedicated to the saiga, has become a good tradition in the schools of Uzbekistan,Kazakhstan and Russia. Both children and adults look forward to this event. Saiga Day is a good example of anefficient method of education and awareness-raising which consolidates the trend towards a more thoughtfulattitude towards nature.

Little participants in the concert program

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

achievements that that the students have not only extendedtheir knowledge of the steppe antelope but also felt confidentthat they could do something useful for the conservation oftheir native land.

the deputy director of school #26 from Karakalpakiyavillage. “It is extremely important to make a place for natureconservation in people’s souls from a very young age. Ourchildren will make our future”.

Eco-club members from both countries formedunforgettable impressions, and of course made new friendswith the same views and most importantly the desire to worktogether for the conservation of the Ustyurt’s unique symbol– the saiga.

The Saiga Day in Shalkar was supported by FFI’s“Ustyurt Landscape Conservation Initiative” which isimplemented in cooperation with ACBK and the Forestryand Hunting Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture ofKazakhstan, with the generous support of the DisneyWorldwide Conservation Fund and the USAID SustainableConservation Approaches for Priority Ecosystems(SCAPES) program. Among other aims, this projectpromotes transboundary cooperation through increasingpublic environmental awareness in the cross border region ofKazakhstan and Uzbekistan and enhancing the involvementof young people.

One of Jaslyk’s residents commented that: “Beneath oureyes, the teenagers have transformed the ugly into thebeautiful with their own hands! This is their first experienceof changing the world on their own, without adultassistance”. It is undoubtedly one of the festival’s

In May at school 5 in Shalkar village,“Akboken”eco-club held their first ‘Saiga Day’ to celebrate the Ustyurtsaiga population. This first Saiga Day was even more specialbecause the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversityof Kazakhstan (ACBK) invited members of the"Tabiyatiayalaik" eco youth club, from Karakalpakiyavillage, Uzbekistan, making this a truly international event.

The children performed musical pieces about the saiga asa unique symbol of the steppes. A holiday programmeincluded discussions on the topic "What do you know aboutthe saiga", where they showed great knowledge, wit andinterest. They also learnt about the rare plant and animalspecies inhabiting Ustyurt. A showing of the "Saga of theSaiga" cartoon let children learn about the history and mainthreats to the saiga. The children particularly enjoyed anexhibition of their traditional handicrafts, anda tour of Shalkar lake and walk in the pineforest.

Kumisay Zholdasova, the leader of"Tabiyatiayalaik" eco-club from Uzbekistan,said that eco-clubs play a significant role inengaging and encouraging local communities,particularly young people, to participate inconservation activities. She gave a beautifulpresentation about the activities of her club inKarakalpakiya, explaining her approach toenvironmental education of the youngergeneration, awakening feelings of concern,responsibility, and willingness to defendnature. “I was surprised how knowledgeablethe children are”, said Saltanat Kalieva,

7Saiga News

Saiga Day in KazakhstanBerdiyar Jollibekov, Fauna and Flora International, Berdiyar.Jollibekov@fauna-flora.org

Performance of eco-club members from Kazakhstan

Phot

o by

Aiz

hana

Issa

yeva

Performance of eco-club members from Uzbekistan

Phot

o by

Aiz

hana

Issa

yeva

Children during the excursion to the Shalkar lake

Phot

o by

Aiz

hana

Issa

yeva

This lesson, about the fate of the “four-footed nomad” andother urgent environmental problems of the Kalmyk steppeincluded lectures, videos and a quiz “The saiga – a steppeantelope”.

The children watched the cartoon “The Saiga Saga” withgreat interest, as well as a video about the saigas in theYashkul’ breeding centre of the Centre for Wild Animals.The students are well-informed about saiga biology and itsstatus, and they took a vivid interest in the saiga’s life in thebreeding centre. All the participants received certificateswith a picture of a saiga.

Secondary school teacher Viktoriya Nosytayeva, fromArtezian, gave lectures to children at five schools in theYashkul and Chernozemelsky districts as a part of the SaigaDay celebrations. She showed them a presentation and videoabout saigas and the children also looked at the colourfulinformation stands Viktoriya had created as part of a projectsupported by the Saiga Conservation Alliance.

The activities carried out by the Centre for Wild Animalsas part of the celebration of International Saiga Day includedlectures, quizzes and sports competitions for schoolchildren.The objective of the celebration is to draw the nextgeneration’s attention to the problem of saiga conservationin the steppe region. Perhaps one of the most impressiveevents was an ecological lesson “Love and Know YourNative Land” for the fifth form students of school 10,given in the A.M. Amur-Sanan National Library.

8 Issue 15, Summer 2012

Saiga Day in KalmykiaNadezhda Arylova, The Centre for Wild Animals of the Republic of Kalmykia, arylova@gmail.com

Students of school 10Ph

oto

by N

adez

hda

Aryl

ova

Lecture by Viktoriya Nosytayeva

Phot

o by

T. G

orya

yev

LITTLE SAIGAS

We, little saigas, are like kids,We are so fond of caresses.

And from dawn to duskWe happily frisk around our Mummy

We drink water and nibble grass.We are trustful and not evil.

But it scares us that sometimesPeople bear ill will to us.

We shall tell all the poachers:«You must not shoot at the saiga!

They should be saved and protected!».

If the poachers are allowed to shoot,The saigas disappear from the steppe.

Renata Baideldinova,a fourth-year student of the Gashun

secondary school,member of the Saiga Friends Club

Renata is feeding a little saiga

Phot

o by

Tat

yana

Kar

imov

a

students. For instance, student Diyer Kabirov said that hehad had no idea that obstacles that at first sight seem to besmall or insignificant pose critical threats to animalpopulations, for example, that gas pipelines can be a barrierto the movement of saigas. Another student, ShokhrukhKholmatov, noted that the event had inspired him to thinkabout the responsibility that each of us has for biodiversityconservation. The students’ interest in the event indicatesthat there is a growing demand for knowledge in the field ofbiodiversity conservation, We therefore plan to hold moresuch events to help raise awareness about biodiversityconservation; one suggestion was that the biodiversityconservation quiz should be held annually as a competitionbetween students from different universities.

On the occasion of theInternational Day ofBiodiversity, a quiz was held forthe second, third and fourth yearstudents of the TashkentChemical Technological Institute(TCTI), majoring in ChemicalTechnology of Oil and Gasprocessing, on the theme"Biodiversity and the oil-and-gasindustry". The Institute boastsover 500 students majoring inthis subject. Organized with thesupport of the UNDP-GEFproject ''MainstreamingBiodiversity into Uzbekistan’s oil and gas Policies andOperations” and the State Committee for Nature Protectionof the Republic of Uzbekistan, the quiz was aimed at raisingawareness on biodiversity conservation and promotingenvironmentally-friendly behaviour amongst the studentswho will, in the near future, take up careers in the oil and gasindustry.

Ms. Mahpuza Karakhodjaeva, the Provost of the Institute,gave a welcoming speech to open the event. The quiz hadfour topics: 1) Uzbekistan’s flora and fauna; 2) the conceptof biodiversity; 3) Landscapes of Uzbekistan; 4) Processingof oil and gas products. The ‘Oilgreen’ team carried the day,exhibiting great knowledge and team spirit.

The quiz generated much interest amongst the faculty and

To help reduce the illegal wildlife trade, WCS-Chinaestablished the South China Project in Guangzhou in August2008. The project’s goal is to stop all illegal trade in CITESI, CITES II zero quota, State Class 1 protected species andother species forbidden by local laws in Guangdong. Underthis goal, one of our important objectives is to improve thecapacity of local law enforcement agencies to reducewildlife crime. The saiga (Saiga tatarica) is a target speciesfor the South China Project. Since 2009, the South ChinaProject has been supported by three Saiga ConservationAlliance Small Grants in their work reducing the illegaltrade in saiga products in Guangzhou, through marketsurveillance and coordination of enforcement by governmentagencies, based on intelligence and a collaborative educationprogramme.

9Saiga News

Biodiversity and the oil-and-gas industrySevara Sharapova, UNDP-GEF, sevara.sharapova@undp.org

Participants and winners of the "Biodiversity and the oil-and-gas industry" quiz

Phot

o by

UN

DP-

GEF

Team and Volunteers of the WCS China Programme’sSouth China Project

Phot

o by

WC

S-Ch

ina

Saigas as a focus of the WCS-China Program’sSouth China ProjectFenglian Li, WCS-China, fli@wcs.org

sites in Kalmykia – the Centre for Wild Animals, which isone of three places in the world where you can see saigas insemi-wild conditions. Fourteen delegates took part in a post-conference excursion, to see the vast steppes of Kalmykiaand the adjacent Astrakhan district, as well as the hugeVolga Delta. In the Stepnoi Sanctuary tracks of wild saigasas well as two live animals were observed, and we saw howa well-equipped anti-poaching team can work to stoppoaching in this vast reserve.

The NGO Birdlife Carinthia, a regional branch of BirdLifeAustria, mainly works to conserve local bird species insouthern Austria. However, they are interested inconservation projects all over the world, on other taxa thanjust birds. On 17th May 2012 its Director Remo Probst andVice-President Gerald Malle visited the Saiga breedingcentre. After the trip Remo Probst said: “We were happy toreceive an invitation to the saiga breeding center and StepnoiSanctuary, to learn from a best practice example ofconservation. It was very interesting to see local species likesaigas and birds, and of course the beautiful steppelandscape. In general we are ornithologists, however, we arevery much interested in landscapes and habitats as well. Weobserved how very motivated people are working to save thesaiga, which has undergone a VERY serious decline.Moreover, we understood that saving saiga is not only aboutspecies conservation, but it is very important to save itssteppe habitat including a lot of birds and other taxa. Therefore, we strongly recommend prolonging and evenenlarging those projects, because of their outstandingimportance for the steppe ecosystem!”

On 24-29 March 2011, the 13th meeting of the GooseSpecialist Group of the IUCN-SSC was held in conjunctionwith the 4th meeting of the Russian Goose, Swan and DuckStudy Group (GSDSG) of northern Eurasia in Elista,Kalmykia (Russia).This conference, entitled “Waterfowl ofNorthern Eurasia, geography, population and environmentaldynamics and population management” was attended by 140participants from 18 different countries(http://onlinereg.ru/Elista2011,http://onlinereg.ru/site.php?go=153&page=2819&lang=RUS).

The organizers invited delegates to visit one of the unique

As established tradition demands, at the very beginning ofthe Siberian summer the cream of environmental televisionjournalism congregates in Khanty-Mansisk. TheInternational Environmental Television Film Festival “Saveand Conserve” was held for the 16th time and hostedrepresentatives of 30 countries from near and far, as well asguests from 60 Russian cities. They included well-knownTV and film directors, journalists and ecologists. About 300works were presented to the jury, and the 70 best wereselected for screening. They included ecologicaldocumentaries, social advertisements, and films onenvironment protection, and were competing for the grandprize – the “Golden Loon”.

The Festival gives a new impetus to nature conservation.Its participants tell a range of stories, and call for a carefuland responsible attitude towards nature. The Festival’satmosphere is unique, including discussions, meetings withinteresting people, watching films and programs and master-classes. The Yugor landscape provides magnificent natural

10 Issue 15, Summer 2012

Ornithologists also like saigasSonia Rozenfeld, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS rozenfeldbro@mail.ru

Gerald Malle, Remo Probst and Sonia Rozenfeldatthe Breeding Centre

Phot

o by

Yur

y Ar

ylov

Member of the Selection Board Maria Vorontsova,Director of IFAW-Russia, presents the prestigious

statuette to the film cameraman, Aleksandr Klepalov

Phot

o by

SC

A

The Golden Loon will deliver saigas from troubleAleksandr Klepalov, GALA-Film Studio, alexman78@list.ru

Article 290 of the Criminal Code about the illegalnature of these sales and the consequences that follow.You can find information on how and where to getstickers at the ACBK site: www.acbk.kz.Caution buyers/sellers against violations of the law bysending SMS-messages to the numbers indicated on thesigns. You can get the recommended text of themessage by sending an e-mail to: acbk@acbk.kz, or onthe social network pages:https://www.facebook.com/groups/443937775636114/and http://vk.com/event39122337.

ACBK relies on your support!

scenery. Participants say that the natural beauty of this harshland inspires them to further artistic endeavours.

This year, the festival prize nomination for “Journalisticinvestigation”– the Golden Loon - was awarded to a filmabout saigas, “At the End of the Line” created by theTashkent GALA-Film Studio, commissioned by the SaigaConservation Alliance and with the financial assistance ofDisney Canada, the Marsh Christian Trust and DVVInternational (see SN-14). This film attracted the specialattention of the jury members, showing how this catastrophe,this tragedy that has happened and is still taking place forsaigas in Uzbekistan has reached its limit, “the end of theline”. If mankind fails to intervene, then the steppe antelopeswill simply disappear as a species in our Republic in the nearfuture.

Ecological journalists call the loon the bird of happinessand we believe that the Golden Loon will shelter the saigafrom trouble under its wing.

In June this year, the Association for the Conservation ofBiodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) launched aninformation campaign against signs offering saiga horns forsale, which have literally flooded the cities of Kazakhstan.

A new version of article 290 of the Criminal Code ofthe RK was adopted from February of this year which readsthat “Illegal acquisition, purchase, storage, sale, import,export, shipping, transportation as well as destruction of rareand endangered plants and animals and/or their parts andderivatives, and also plants and animals and/or their partsand derivatives the use of which is forbidden by law, or theirhabitats, shall be punished by limitation of freedom for aperiod of up to three years or by deprivation of freedom forthe same period with confiscation of the convictedoffender’s property…”. Despite this, signs offering saigahorns at an attractive price are encountered increasinglyfrequently in Kazakhstan’s cities.

The goal of the campaign is to prevent the spread of signsoffering saiga horns for sale and purchase, and to inform thelocal population of the responsibility borne by the peoplewho respond to these offers and thereby help to encouragepoaching. ACBK wants to draw the public’s attention tohow dangerous the horn trade is both for themselves and fornature, so as to change public opinion, reduce violations ofwildlife conservation laws, and inform those who areunaware of the stringent punishments for such violations.

All those who support and share this position are invitedto:

If you find signs offering to buy/sell saiga horns inpublic places (at bus stops, on lampposts, in stores),please glue over them a sticker with an extract from

11Saiga News

An information campaign against the illegal tradein saiga horns has been launched

Zhanna Aksartova, ACBK, zhanna.aksartova@acbk.kz

Aleksandr Klepalov with the festival prize – the “Golden Loon”

Phot

o by

SC

A

Creation of watering places willhelp to increase saiga numbers

in KazakhstanSince 2010, the project “Recreation of watering places in

the western area of the Korgalzhyn nature reserve” has beenimplemented in Kazakhstan with financial support from theKazakhmys company. Over these two years, the Ternsai,Tobylgysai and Akboken dams have been restored. Theproject participants’ opinion is that saigas move far from thereserve and enter unprotected areas where they arevulnerable to poachers because they are looking for drinkingwater. Creation of watering places by restoring disused anddestroyed dams has considerably reduced the movement ofsaigas. These measures have also resulted in an increase inwaterfowl numbers in the nearby Tengiz lake. Eight moredams remain to be restored. For more information seehttp://locman.kz/newsonly.php?ID=29524#.T_3Cl5Ey2M8.

Electric fence for saiga protectionAt the Yashkul’ breeding centre, the installation of an

electric fence to protect saigas from predators has beencompleted. Electric strands have been laid in four rowsaround the entire perimeter of the enclosure. Students fromthe Agrarian Department of Kalmyk State Universityvolunteered to help the Centre’s staff to install the fence.The fence is powered by a solar battery. Predators get aweak electric shock and run away from the fence if theytouch the wires. The shock doesn’t cause serious harm, andit trains the predators to avoid the fence.

The work was carried out with the assistance of WWF -Russia, the Steppe Project of the UNDP/GEF/RussianMinistry of Nature and Olga Obgenova, a businesswomanfrom Elista. For more information seehttp://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/russian/archives/117703/

Update on fence construction onthe Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border

Since the autumn of 2011, Kazakhstan has erected over100 kilometres of barrier going eastwards from its borderwith Uzbekistan in the west. Another section of 50kilometres from the border’s northeast corner to the southhas also been fenced. The barbed wire barrier as high as 180cm from the ground prevents not only saigas from crossingthe border but smaller animals as well.

For more information seehttp://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=ru&sub=hot&cid=4&nid=19639.

Actions against the saiga horntrade by Kyzylorda police

The Kyzylorda police conducts active investigations inorder to eradicate the trade in saiga horns in their region.Traders distribute notices about their interest in buying saigahorns using all available means. Police can then trace thetrader’s telephone number, carry out search operations, orcatch him in the act of receiving the goods. It is moredifficult to bring “carriers”, those who transport the horns, tojustice. According to the environmental police, the saigahorntrade routes are as follows: Horns from animals killed inKazakhstan are illegally shipped to China. Alternatively theyare transported through the Russian-Chinese border toPrimorye and the Far East where their price is higher – up to20,000 roubles ($630) per kilo. In Kyzylorda, “old” saigahorns from natural mortality cost 2-3,000 tenge ($15-20)each, while fresh, illegally hunted horns are more expensive.For more information seehttp://www.zakon.kz/kazakhstan/4476050-policejjskie-kyzylordy-objavili-vojjnu.html.

12 Issue 15, Summer 2012

The electric fence laid around the entire perimeterof the saiga enclosure

Phot

o by

Nad

ezhd

a Ar

ylov

a

Media reports:

Barbed wire on the Ustyurt Plateau on the borderbetween Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

Phot

o by

Uzn

ews

February 6, 2012International: A major batch of saiga horns has been

detained at the Kurmagazy border check point, Atyrauregion (between Russia and Kazakhstan). Two people fromAlmaty region were attempting to bring 170 saiga horns intoKazakhstan. The smugglers said they had purchased thesaiga horns in Astrakhan, Russia, and were planning to sellthem in Shymkent. A criminal investigation is underway.

For more information seehttp://inform.kz/rus/article/2438956,http://www.zakon.kz/kazakhstan/4472483-v-atyrau-nezakonno-pytalis-sbyt-8.html.

March 10, 2012Betpak-dala population: Okhotzooprom inspectors and

officers of the Zhalagazh District Police detained an off-roadvehicle containing four residents of Kyzyl-Orda. In the boot,the policemen found hunting guns and cartridges, bloodspots and animal hairs. Following the car tracks, they foundthree discarded saiga carcasses. A criminal case for illegalhunting has been initiated.

For more information seehttp://tengrinews.kz/crime/209828/.

March 19, 2012International: At the Ili check point near Kapshagai,

officers of the Department for Organized Crime Control,Almaty region, and the Department of Road Police detaineda resident of Sary Terek village, East Kazakhstan region,who was attempting to take through a large quantity of saigahorns, musk beaver skins and “baimur” (Fritillariapallidiflora Schrenk) roots. The police confiscated 4,704saiga horns, 10,608 musk beaver skins and 3 sack ofs“baimur” roots. The police are conducting investigations intothe identity of the traders and distributors. The arrested manintended to deliver the products to Zaisan (East Kazakhstan)for onward sale to China.

March 20, 2012International: During routine surveillance, 178 saiga

horns were confiscated at the Kurmangazy border checkpoint (between Russia and Kazakhstan), which an Almatyresident was attempting to carry across the border. Theevidence was handed over to the Kurmangazy district police.Preliminary investigations are underway.

For more information seehttp://www.zakon.kz/kazakhstan/4481427-krupnejjshaja-partija-rogov-sajjgi-i.html.

May 27, 2012Betpak-dala population: In the Kulanshi region, Aktyuba

province, 45 km from the village of Irgyz, an off-roadvehicle operated by local residents was detained; inside thecar a saiga carcass and two saiga horns were found. Acriminal case has been initiated under Clause 288 of theCriminal Code -“Illegal hunting”.

For more information seehttp://inform.kz/rus/article/2467509.

IFAW will help to conservethe saiga in Russia

In 2012, the International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW) will allocate about one million roubles ($31,300) tosaiga conservation in the southern steppes of Russia. Themoney will be assigned to the operational needs of theStepnoi nature reserve in the Astrakhan region, and forpurchase of fodder by the Centre for Wild Animals ofKalmykia.

At present saigas are only found in Russia on the steppesof the Astrakhan region and in Kalmykia. According to thelatest surveys, there are fewer than 12,000 saigas in Russia,while IFAW experts estimate no more than 7,000 animals.

For more information seehttp://www.elista.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14400:2012-06-15-05-46-47&catid=1,http://eco.ria.ru/nature/20120615/673645518.html.

Cases of saiga poachingand illegal trade

Kazakhstan

January 6, 2012Betpak-dala population: 80 kilometers from the village of

Zhaisaibai, Irgyz district, officers of the Irgyz district policedetained a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by a resident of theKyzyl-Orda region; Inside the car was an unregistereddouble-barrelled gun, and on the path of the car thepolicemen found 5 dehorned saiga carcasses.

For more information seehttp://www.avestnik.kz/?p=16078.

January 28, 2012Betpak-dala population: During search operations in

Aktobe, policemen detained a 26-year-old in whose car theyfound 12 saiga horns. He explained that he had been buyinghorns through posting notices in the city and nearby areas,offering 12,000 tenge ($80) per pair, and reselling then at60,000tenge ($400) a kilo. He voluntarily yielded up 102saiga horns which he had collected over the previous 2months and kept at his home. Criminal charges are nowunder consideration, under Clauses 190 and 183 of theCriminal Code. For more information seehttp://inform.kz/rus/article/2438108.

Saiga News 13

IFAW representative Elena Zharkova’s impressions ofher visit to the Stepnoi reserve and the Yashkul’ breedingcentre are available on the IFAW websitehttp://www.ifaw.org/united-states/news/watch-true-happiness-steppe-meeting-saiga-antelope.

There is also detailed photo coverage by the blogger andphotographer Evgeny Polonsky, who recently visited theStepnoi nature reserve, at:http://e-polonskiy.livejournal.com/63311.html

UzbekistanFebruary 23, 2012

Ustiurt population: At Karakalpakia railway station,Kungrad district, officers of the Special Amu Daryainspectorate and the Customs Service of Karakalpakstandetained an Uzbekistan resident of Uzbekistan who wasattempting to smuggle 302 saiga horns. An investigation isunderway.

ChinaMarch 30, 2012

Urumqi customs have announced that Altay customsuncovered one case of smuggling endangered wildlifeproducts, which were saiga antelope horns in a vehicleentering the country. During a routine check at Jimunaicheck point, the customs officers found a container like afuel tank in a coach’s luggage compartment, where 876 saigaantelope horns weighing 163 kg were hidden. The case hasbeen handed over to the anti-smuggling department.

More information athttp://www.chinanews.com/fz/2012/04-01/3793429.shtml.

June 5, 2012Betpak-dala population: Okhotzooprom inspectors in

Aktebiy district, Aktyuba region, found over 60 dehornedsaiga carcasses 12 km from the village of Kyrykkudyk. Theyalso found off-road vehicle tracks and cartridge cases. Later,Department for Internal Affairs police officers and the Arlanspecial branch detained suspects from Kyzyl-Orda region.Investigations are ongoing to find the horns and a criminalcase has been initiated.

For more information seehttp://rus.azattyk.org/content/saiga-otstrel-roga-aktobe/24614906.html andhttp://today.kz/ru/news/incident/2012-06-15/67726.

June 15, 2012Betpak-dala population: In the Ulytau district, Karaganda

region, environmental police officers and Okhotzoopromstaff detained an UAZ vehicle driven by a resident ofTersakkan village; inside the car they found a dressed saigacarcass. The case has been registered under Clause 288 ofthe Criminal Code (Illegal hunting).

For more information seehttp://www.zakon.kz/kazakhstan/4497187-dvukh-brakonerov-s-tushejj-sajjgaka.html.

June 18, 2012Ural population: During search operations in the village

of Akoba, West Kazakhstan region, Committee for Forestryand Hunting and Okhotzooprom officers found 12 pairs ofsaiga horns and a hunting gun. A criminal case has beeninitiated for illegal hunting and investigations are underway.

For more information seehttp://www.kazakh-zerno.kz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59443:-12-&catid=14&Itemid=108.

July 7, 2012Betpak-dala population: During inspection of a car driven

by a resident of Irgyz village with a passenger from Aktoba,District and Environmental police officers confiscated asaiga carcass, 5 pairs of saiga horns and a gun.

July 9, 2012Betpak-dala population: Department of Internal Affairs

police officers from Aktyuba region detained a resident ofAktoba and two people from Karabutak village, in whose carthey found 5 saiga carcasses and two guns. The detaineesconfessed to illegal saiga hunting. A criminal case has beeninitiated under Clause 288 of the Criminal Code (Illegalhunting).

For more information seehttp://kt.kz/?lang=rus&uin=1133168098&chapter=1153557197.

Issue 15, Summer 201214

Signs reading “I want to buy old saiga horns” have becomecommonplace in Russia and Kazakhstan

Phot

o by

Eug

eny

Polo

nsky

in A

stra

khan

pro

vinc

e of

Rus

sia

Saiga horns confiscated in China

Phot

o by

Chi

nane

ws.c

om

approach will provide an opportunity to examine detailedecological and management questions related to movement,behavior, habitat use, and survival within and outside theprotected area. This study was funded by the NationalGeographic Society.

The Mongolian saiga (Saiga mongolica; see FeatureArticle in this issue) occurs in the semi-desert ecosystems ofwestern Mongolia with a population of 5,000-7,000individuals. The Mongolian saiga occurs in threesubpopulations; they now occupy only 20% of their formerrange. In recent years, the saiga’s population size and rangein Mongolia have increased, probably due to enhanced lawenforcement. Protected areas are the most common andefficient way to conserve wildlife species and their habitats.Given that <30% of saiga range in Mongolia is currentlyunder protection there is a need to expand the size andnumber of protected areas so that they can effectivelyconserve saiga habitat. Although much knowledge has beengained regarding the survival and movements of saigaswithin Sharga Nature Reserve (SNR), nothing is knownabout the ecology of saigas beyond the nature reserve. Todetermine if protected areas are having a positive effect onthe survival of saiga calves, we captured and collarednewborn calves in the 3,088 km2 SNR and at Khuisiin Gobi,a previously identified calving area 40 km further northeast,which is not part of Mongolia’s Protected Area system.During 11-21 June 2012,we collared 10 males and 10females in Khuisiin Gobi, and 8males and 12 females in ShargynGobi; 24 singles and 16 twins(fig. 1). Calf body mass averaged2.43 ± 0.39 kg (n=40) and therewas no difference in body massof calves captured at Sharga vs.Khuisiin Gobi (t=0.03, p=0.48).The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) wasthe most frequently observedcarnivore in the Shargyn Gobi,whereas corsac fox (Vulpescorsac) was mainly observed inKhuisiin Gobi. During thecapture efforts, 3 collared calveswere killed by foxes and raptorsin Shargiin Gobi. Two calvesdied due to unknown predationand disease in Khuisiin Gobi.The monitoring of markedanimals is currently underway todocument survival andmovements in the two areas. This

Saiga News 15

Radio-collared saiga calf in Sharga Nature Reservein western Mongolia

Phot

o by

Bay

arba

atar

Buu

veib

aata

r

ArticlesSurvival and spatial ecologyof saiga calves in Mongolia

Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar1,2*, Todd K. Fuller1, and Amanda E. Fine2

1Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, USA;2Mongolia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Mongolia

Corresponding author: Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar, buuveibaatar@gmail.com

Figure 1. A map of the study site in western Mongolia

The largest groups were observed in February-April. 24 outof 25 monitors observed some saigas, and saiga sightingswere relatively evenly distributed throughout the year andthroughout the study area.

For a spatial comparison of sightings outside of theprotected areas, monitors were divided into 2 groups: onegroup comprised monitors located north of the protectedareas, the other group comprised monitors located to thesouth of the protected areas. The monitor located withinChernye Zemli Biosphere reserve was excluded from thisanalysis. A higher number of saiga sightings were reportedin the south (175) than in the north (109). In addition, themean number of saigas per sighting was higher in the south(113.6), compared with the north (20.5). Since some of themonitoring areas overlapped, it is likely that double countingby adjacent monitors occurred. Therefore, these data simplyprovide an indication of the relative density of saigas, ratherthan an estimate of the saiga population, in the survey area.

These data were then used to map saiga distribution duringthe winter and spring using ArcGIS software, and to developa Habitat Suitability Model with Maxent software. Themodel was used to identify the factors affecting saigadistributions. The predicted distribution of saigas did not

vary from spring to winter and the samepredictors of distribution were identified for bothseasons. During spring and winter the keypredictors of saiga presence were distance to theprotected areas and distance to water sources,with increased probability of saiga presence inareas closer to water and closer to the reserves.The importance of distance to protected areas as adriver of saiga distribution has both positive andnegative implications. It suggests that the Stepnoireserve and the Chernye Zemli BiosphereReserve are fulfilling their functions as areaswhere saiga are protected. However, the fact thatsaigas are more likely to be seen in and aroundthe protected areas corroborates the existing bodyof evidence that poaching continues to be aproblem in the pre-Caspian region.

Based on this study, participatory monitoringhas clear potential to contribute to ourunderstanding of saiga distribution and migratorybehaviour. The data can serve as a benchmarkagainst which further monitoring can becompared, to establish future trends indistribution.

Data gathered from a participatory monitoring programmehave helped to clarify the current range of saigas in the pre-Caspian region. The project was funded by the RuffordFoundation and the Mohamed Bin Zayed fund, with the aimof identifying saiga distribution during winter and spring,and determining what drives this distribution. This isimportant for saiga conservation, as their seasonaldistribution is unclear, particularly during the winter monthsand outside Protected Areas.

The monitoring programme followed a pilot programmeestablished in 2008 by Yuri Arylov and collaborators atImperial College, using funding from the British CouncilBRIDGE programme. Given the challenges of surveyingmigratory species, participatory monitoring can informconservation efforts through using local knowledge andengaging the local community in saiga conservation.Opportunistic saiga monitoring was carried out by 25monitors from mid October 2010 to the end of June 2011.The monitors were located to the north and south of theStepnoi and Chernye Zemli Biosphere reserves; 1 monitorwas located between the reserves (Figure 1). In total, 309groups of saigas were seen, 173 groups in winter (October -February), 136 in spring (March - June). The mean groupsize was larger in spring (107.7), than in winter (49.8).

Issue 15, Summer 201216

Using participatory monitoring to assess saigahabitat use in the pre-Caspian region

Graham Elliott1, Yuri Arylov2, Anatoly Khludnev3, E.J. Milner-Gulland1

1- Imperial College London, 2- entre for Wild Animals of the Republic of Kalmykia,3- Stepnoi Reserve, Astrakhan province

Corresponding author: Graham Elliott, graham.elliott10@imperial.ac.uk

Figure 1. Location of saiga monitors that observed saigas.Numbers indicate the total number of groups of saiga seen by individual

monitors. The Chernye Zemli reserve (to the west) and Stepnoi reserve (to theeast) are outlined in thin black lines.

children to name the most important threats to saigas. Invillages where children are taught about saigas in school,over half of the children named human activities as the mostimportant threat; in contrast 70% of respondents fromKubla-na-Ustyurt thought natural causes were the keythreats.

The educational activities were universally well receivedwith 100% of the surveyed children reporting that saigaeducation was fun. Children who reported that the activitieswere both fun and educational had higher knowledge scoresthan children who simply described them as fun. Childrenwere also more likely to report that human activities werethe greatest threat to the saiga antelope when they found theeducational activities to be both fun and educational.

In general adults in the surveyed communities held verypositive attitudes towards saigas and their conservation. Allrespondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that“protecting the saiga is a low priority” and 88% of adultsstrongly agreed saiga extinction would be “a very bad thing”(the remaining respondents agreed that it would be bad).Whilst attitudes appeared to be generally positive, manyadults talked about the negative views that other members oftheir communities held. However this perception of others'

The Ustyurt population of the saiga antelope is continuingto decline. Stabilising this population and its recovery tosustainable numbers will ultimately depend on thewillingness of local people to actively support the species’survival and reject the economic opportunities that poachingoffers. As a result community outreach initiatives appear tobe a logical tool for conservationists to use. Howeverwithout critically assessing the impact of outreach programsno definitive conclusions about their value can be made.Being able to prove the efficiency and effectiveness of aconservation approach is particularly important in light ofthe limited availability of funding.

In Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt Plateau an education programdesigned to raise child awareness of saiga antelope ecologyand conservation has been implemented since 2006. Thescheme runs in collaboration with local schools in Jaslyk andKarakalpakia, with plans to expand it to Kubla-na-Ustyurtvillage. Saiga-based classroom activities lead up to “SaigaDay”, a celebration where children present what they havelearned about the species, act out plays, listen to talks andreceive awards for their saiga work (see the Update on SaigaDay above). Local business leaders, politicians and anincreasing number of parents also attend Saiga Day. In 2011Saiga Days held in Uzbekistan had a combined attendance of845 pupils and approximately 250parents.

We compared the knowledgeabout saigas of children attendingschools where saiga education hadtaken place (Jaslyk and two schoolsin Karakalpakia) with children thathad not received the programme ofsaiga education (in Kubla-na-Ustyurt). We also made anassessment of parents’ attitudestowards saiga conservation.

Children who attendededucational activities hadsignificantly better knowledgeabout saiga antelopes and theirconservation, particularly if theyhad attended at least two years ofeducation activities. To measureconservation knowledge we asked

Saiga News 17

Figure 1. Children’s perceptions of the most important threatsto saiga antelopes by village

Analysing environmental educationon the Ustyurt Plateau

Peter Damerell1, Elena Bykova2 and E.J. Milner-Gulland3

1-Beijing Forestry University, 2- Institute of Plants and Animals, Uzbekistan,3 -Imperial College London

Corresponding author: Peter Damerell, Peterdamerell@hotmail.co.uk

adults who become involved to realise that throughout theircommunities there is a pervading negative attitude towardssaiga exploitation. This is a very positive result and thoseworking to educate rural children and the wider communityin Uzbekistan should feel encouraged that their work ishaving an important impact.

As education events are expanded and developed acrossthe region this study suggests that child learning can bemaximised by endeavouring to ensure children are involvedin the education programme in more than one year and thatall children take part in activities that are both fun and have astrong educational component. Expanding the role of SaigaDay into a village-wide event with a strong adult attendancewill enable communities to understand better how unitedtheir feelings about saiga conservation are.

views was very different between those who had and had notattended Saiga Day.

Almost 50% of adults who had not attended Saiga Day feltthat people in their community believed saiga hunting wasacceptable, this figure dropped dramatically to 0% amongstthose who had attended Saiga Day. When parents wereasked if other people in their community thought eatingsaiga meat was a bad thing to do, 65% of parents who hadbeen to a Saiga Day agreed in comparison to only 10% ofnon-attendees. Interestingly no difference was seen in thetwo group’s responses to the statement “I feel the same wayabout the importance of protecting saiga as other people inmy village”.

Whilst attending Saiga Day did not make adults feel thatthey held different opinions to others, it did make thembelieve that the other members of their community had morepositive attitudes towards saiga conservation. As a resultattending Saiga Day appears to have given adult attendeessocial norms that are a more accurate representation of thecommunity-wide positive attitudes that we observed. Peopleappear not to realise how against saiga exploitation theirfellow villagers are unless they have attended Saiga Day.This is a highly significant result, as people's perceptions ofwhat others think is an acceptable way to behave can have astrong impact on their own behaviour.

The study suggests that the educational activities that aretaking place on the Uzbek Ustyurt are improving children’secological knowledge of saigas and their understanding ofthe role humans have played in their population decline.Additionally the same education program is helping the

Issue 15, Summer 201218

Peter Damerell and his assistant Jamshid Abatovquestion a girl from Kubla-Ustyurt village

Phot

o by

Ale

xand

er E

sipov

Figure 2. Differing proportions of adults who agree with statements about community attitudes towards

illegal saiga exploitation. The number of respondents who said they had or hadn't attended Saiga Day, or

didn't say is shown in brackets. The red bars show the proportion of people who disagree with the statement,

the green those who neither agree nor disagree, and the blue those who agree.

In future ecological corridors are expected to connect thethree parts of the “Altyn Dala” reserve and, the Irgyz-Turgaistate nature reserve and Turgai wildlife reserve. Thecorridors will include sustainable hunting areas, privateconservation areas and other areas where sustainable wildlifemanagement and land use take place. Local natural resourceusers and agencies and other stakeholders are involved in theprocess of defining the corridors and their uses. The strategyfor creation of ecological corridors is based on scientificmonitoring data on key species and ecosystem condition.These data have been collated from various organisationsand a monitoring system is being created to support reservemanagement and conservation planning in the future.

The saiga antelope is the key species in the area whichdirectly influences the choice of corridors and theirmanagement. Reliable data are required on saiga distributionand the time, direction and rate of migration. Historical datafrom Soviet times are inapplicable since the saiga’s habitatshave changed substantially and its behaviour is significantlydifferent when in small groups. ACBK specialists haverecorded saiga observations since April 2008, and haveparticipated in the annual aerial censuses organized by theCFH. State-of-the-art methods are being used, includingsatellite collaring. These data are being used to developmodels for the linkage of priority conservation areas and forthe evaluation of ecological processes at the landscape level.

The first stage of planning ecological corridors involvescollecting baseline data on ecological zones, reflecting thepresence of plant associations as a function of relief and soiltype. The landscape map also includes the presence of rareplants and animals, water, fires socioeconomic indicators,etc. The project area is then based on: 1) relativesustainability, 2) ecological risk, and 3) ecological threat. Inthe future, once negative processes have been eliminated orminimized, or if new threats emerge, the zones’ boundariescan be revised. In 2009 to 2011, ecological monitoring wascarried out in the pilot area, by a wide range of botanists,ornithologists, mammalogists, GIS-specialists, landscapeecologists and, climatologists. New data were obtained and abaseline was set for future monitoring of the ecosystems andtheir various components. A monitoring database wasestablished.

The second stage of the process was the selection oftargets and criteria for boundary definition.

In Kazakhstan, various types of steppe landscape,inhabited by unique, globally endangered species of animalsand plants, cover over 1.2 million km2. Protected areas (PAs)play an important role in the conservation of steppebiodiversity. As of today, about 1.7% of the natural habitatin the steppe zone is protected by PAs. The KazakhstanGovernment’s strategy of expansion of the PA system by2030 includes measures to add new areas of steppeecosystem into the PAs system under the programme«Zhasyl Damu» for 2010-2014. In 2009, the GlobalEnvironmental Facility’s “Conservation and SustainableManagement of Steppe Ecosystems” project was launched tosupport the preservation of steppe biodiversity and creationof a PA network. The Committee of Forestry and Hunting ofthe Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan(CFH) is an executive agency of the Project, which is beingimplemented via the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme in Kazakhstan. The Association for theConservation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan (ACBK), apartner in the project, is developing a system for themanagement and protection of steppe landscapes in the pilotarea of Irgyz-Turgai-Zhylanshik (ITZh) which is located inthe central part of Kazakhstan, in two administrative districtsof the Kostanai region, covering an area of 6.2 millionhectares. A range of steppe and desert landscapes, watercourses and swamps are represented in this area, it isinhabited by rare and endangered mammal and bird species,and it contains sites of migration, calving and summergrazing of the Betpak-dala saiga population.

The conservation of Kazakhstan’s steppe zones will bebased on a landscape approach, creating a system of varioustypes of PA interconnected by ecological corridors in whichthe local users of natural resources play the central role inmanagement. This approach will secure the naturalmovements of wildlife. In this particular case, the PAsinclude the Irgyz-Turgai state nature reserve and theproposed “Altyn Dala” state nature reserve, which will beconnected by ecological corridors. A technical and economicfeasibility study has been prepared for this project, whichwas approved by the CFH’s scientific and technical council.The mayor of the Kostanai region has approved the settingaside of the land required. In addition, based on our study,there are plans to expand the Irgyz-Turgai state naturereserve; the feasibility study has been completed and theprocess of land reservation is underway.

Saiga News 19

A network of protected areasin the Irgyz-Turgai-Zhylanshik region

Aliya TelkarayevaACBK, aliya.telkarayeva@acbk.kz

The key factors were the naturalboundaries of target species’habitats; existence of one oranother type of landscapes; theundamaged condition of thenatural vegetation cover;remoteness from populatedsettlements; availability of water;vegetation index values; andlevel of biodiversity.

At the third, final, stage, theboundaries of the ecologicalcorridors were determined andplotted on a map usingGIS.MARXAN software wasused to find the optimalcombination of corridors basedon the underlying data and thetargets. The complex, system-wide approach applied here willallow us to develop ascientifically-grounded network of PAs and ecologicalcorridors. Our further objective is to ensure that all thenetwork elements are brought under State protection sothat the network can function efficiently.

In the mid 1990s, the Ustyurt saiga population numberedaround 250,000 individuals; along with the other populationsit suffered a dramatic collapse in the early 2000s. Howeverunlike the other populations in Kazakhstan, the Ustyurtpopulation continued to decline; the lowest size recorded inKazakhstan’s aerial surveys was 4,900 in 2010, and thelatest count put it at only 6,500 individuals, possibly thesmallest of all the saiga populations.

The driver for this lack of recovery is ongoing commercialpoaching in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as confirmedin recent research. During this study last year, local peopleidentified trade routes from the Ustyurt, through Kazakhstanto China and stated that the population is being hunted bothfor meat for local consumption and trade and horns forinternational trade.

The transboundary nature of the Ustyurt population makesit particularly difficult to manage, with a large proportion ofthe population moving seasonally between Kazakhstan (inthe summer) and Uzbekistan (in the winter). Participatorymonitoring is providing evidence of resident saigasinhabiting Uzbekistan year-round, albeit in small numbers.

Not all of Kazakhstan’s saigas cross the border either, butthe majority of the population migrates between the twocountries.

The latest news from the region suggests that the sectionof the fence running from West to East between Kazakhstanand Uzbekistan has now been completed (see picturesaccompanying the update above). The information alsosuggests that this high, barbed wire fence is likely to beimpassable for saigas. So what is the likely effect of thisfence on the Ustyurt saiga population?

The saiga’s migration is an adaptation to its harshenvironment, and much research shows that the behaviourhas evolved to avoid the harsher winter weather in the northof its range while alsotaking advantage of better summerpastures in the north during the summer. Migrations as aphenomenon are disappearing worldwide, and the saiga hasbeen one of the few migratory ungulates still to display thisbehaviour, despite the enormous population declines it hasendured. This suggests that migration is a key contributor tothe saiga’s famous resilience and its recovery potential. Anyinterruption to this migration is likely to have both short and

Issue 15, Summer 201220

Map.Ecological corridors designated using MARXAN software

The implications of the border fence on the Ustyurt plateaufor the saiga antelope, and options for mitigation

E.J. Milner-GullandImperial College London and the Saiga Conservation Alliance, e.j.milner-gulland@imperial.ac.uk

stay, as part of wider political decisions which areunconnected to nature conservation. But the governmentagencies involved need information on the potentialconsequences of the fence, and on possible ways to mitigateits impact, so that the Ustyurt saiga’s migration can continueas unimpeded as possible. There is substantial experience todraw on for this, from many countries. The measures usedelsewhere range from the very expensive and technical, tothe very simple and relatively cheap. An example of asimple and potentially effective measure is given in thepictures below. This involves raising the lower strand ofwire and converting it from barbed to plain wire, as well asmaking the fence visible to moving animals with some kindof flag or streamer.

Given that the fence has been completed, and the saiga’swinter migration will start in a few months, it is crucial thatthe options are urgently presented to, and discussed by, thehighest level of government, so that a solution can be found

as soon as possible.Otherwise we riskwitnessing the decimationof one of only fourpopulations of S. t. tataricain the world. Whateverhappens, this crisis alsohighlights the desperateneed of the Ustyurtpopulation for furtherconservation measures,including effective lawenforcement, publicengagement andawareness, and protectedareas, on both sides of theborder.

long-term effects.Based on experience of the effects of fences on migratory

ungulates in other countries, and also based on the large-scale mortality that saigas experienced in the 1970s whencanals were placed on their migratory routes, we couldexpect that in the short term saigas may attempt to cross thefence and die in the attempt, or at the least experience stressand injury. Any accumulations of saigas at the fence will beeasy targets for poachers. This mortality could cause asubstantial reduction in an already extremely depletedpopulation, and is likely to start this year.

In the longer term, a barrier across a migratory route islikely to lead to reduced recovery potential for the Ustyurtpopulation, with a low-density isolated resident populationin Uzbekistan, and the main population in Kazakhstanunable to access important winter resources. There are otherpopulations of saigas whose movements have been curtailedin recent years, or whose movements were never asextensive as the Ustyurt migration (e.g. the pre-Caspian andMongolian populations), and which survive. Therefore itseems unlikely that, if the population survives the short-termmortality, the fence will lead to the extirpation of thepopulation. Instead, it will cause the curtailment ordisappearance of the migration as a phenomenon, and to theloss of the possibility for the population to again reach thesizes observed only 20 years ago.

The world’s large ungulate migrations are both awonderful spectacle and key structuring forces for theirecosystems, altering the vegetation and soil dynamics, anddetermining the composition and diversity of their plant andanimal species. Hence there is also the possibility that theUstyurt ecosystem will undergo changes as a result of thefence.

So what can be done? Clearly the border fence is here to

Saiga News 21

An animal safely crossing a fence[Photo courtesy of Kirk Olson]

A simple fence design that is less likely to injure migrating animals[Picture courtesy of Kirk Olson]

Before Sludsky’s time, there were only brief, isolatedaccounts collected during expeditions, mostly aboutmeetings with saigas in particular places and the saigahorn trade. In the 1940s and especially in the early 1950s,research was carried out more intensively. By that time,saiga numbers had recovered, following a reduction in thepopulation to a critical level in the early 20th century anda prolonged depression, and the issue of saiga use couldbe raised. Based on his studies, Arkady A. Sludskyprepared a report to the Council of Ministers of theKazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1954, saiga tradeunder licence was permitted in Kazakhstan. Over thesubsequent 40 years, the saiga trade yielded aconsiderable profit to the state and in 1983, Sludsky wasawarded the State Prize of theKazakh SSR, along with a group ofother biologists, for thedevelopment of biologicalprinciples for the sustainable use ofsaigas.

Sludsky’s research up to the early1950s was published in a substantialarticle called “The Saiga Antelopein Kazakhstan” (1955). This gavedetailed coverage of past andcontemporary saiga distributions,numbers and population densitythroughout Kazakhstan in differentseasons. It also covered thebiological principles of saigaresource management, saiga

hunting business management, measures for protectionand restoration of the species, and the needs for furtherscientific research.

In 1962, Sludsky published an article on predator-preyinteractions, with a large part devoted to saiga-wolfinteractions. It gives a detailed description of wolves’hunting habits and the victims’ avoidance behaviour. Forexample, saigas form large calving aggregations to reducepredation mortality. Sludsky assessed the substantialmortality caused to saigas by wolves, but he concludedthat it is not predators which cause their dramaticpopulation fluctuations. Instead, by exterminating sickand weak animals, predators help to make preypopulations healthier and serve as an indispensable factor

Issue 15, Summer 201222

Saiga heroes

February 2012 saw the centenary of the birth ofArkady Aleksandrovich Sludsky, a famous zoologistand Fellow of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan.He was the founder of research into vertebrates inKazakhstan and founded the Laboratory of Mammalsin the Institute of Zoology, which he headed from 1949to 1977. His zoological interests were quite wide, butthe saiga held a very prominent place in his research.Yuri Grachev, a pre-eminent saiga biologist, haschosen A.A. Sludsky as our Saiga Hero for this issueof Saiga News.

Saiga expedition in Betpa-dala, 1956

Phot

o fro

m th

e ar

chiv

e of

the

Inst

itute

Zoo

logy

, Kaz

akhs

tan

thousands of animals. Sludsky describes the saiga’sadaptations to winder conditions; changes in coatcolour from brown to white, fat accumulation, theability to dig for fodder under the snow, forming largeherds, grazing with other ungulates, migrations, etc.

In 1965, a field programme for the saiga was set upon Arkady A. Sludsky’s initiative; its tasks includedconducting annual aerial censuses and ecologicalstudies, including on feeding, reproduction, migration,disease and parasites. Recommendations on therational use of saigas were submitted annually togovernment agencies and put into practice. This longresearch programme (from 1965 through to 1981)resulted in the collection of extensive materials onsaiga ecology in Kazakhstan, which were summarizedin the monograph “The Saiga in Kazakhstan”(Fadeyev & Sludsky, 1982). Sludsky personallyparticipated in the research and is a co-author of themonograph, but unfortunately he was not able tocomplete it because of his premature death.

In subsequent decades, the research started by A.A.Sludsky has continued. This work is reflected in the1998 book “Saiga: phylogeny, taxonomy, ecology,protection and use” (edited by Sokolov and Zhirnov),in the 1998 article “The Ecology and Management ofSaiga in Kazakhstan” (by Bekenov et al.) and otherworks. The vision of A.A. Sludsky is the reason whywe now have such a strong basis of understanding ofsaiga ecology with exceptionally valuable long-termdatasets, which are lacking for most other species.

in their continued existence. The validity of theseconclusions was convincingly confirmed in the 1970s,when over a decade the growth and high numbers of thesaiga population were concurrent with very high numbersof wolves.

In his other fundamental work, “Dzhuts in the EurasianSteppes and Deserts” (1963), Sludsky discusses theinfluence of unfavorable weather conditions on domesticand wild animals, including the saiga. He notes thatwinter fodder shortage, exhaustion and mass mortality ofungulates occurs regularly throughout the steppes andtemperate deserts of Eurasia. He discusses the conditionsrequired for a dzhut (winter mass mortality due to aparticular set of extreme weather conditions), and givesevidence for mortality rates up to tens or hundreds of

Saiga News 23

Editor’s Note: Each issue we celebrate someone who has contributed enormously to the conservation of the

saiga. These people come from all walks of life and all parts of the world, but are united in their passion forthis species. If you would like to nominate a saiga hero for the next issue of Saiga News, please contact theEditor at esipov@xnet.uz.

Arkady A. Sludsky capturing calves in 1967

Phot

o fro

m th

e ar

chiv

e of

the

Inst

itute

Zoo

logy

, Kaz

akhs

tan

Saigas crossing a river

Phot

o fro

m th

e ar

chiv

e of

the

Inst

itute

Zoo

logy

, Kaz

akhs

tan

Issue 15, Summer 201224

Editorial team. China: A. Kang (akang@wcs.org)&Fenglian Li (fli@wcs.org), WCS China; Kazakhstan:Professor A. Bekenov& Dr Yu.A. Grachev, Institute of Zoology (teriologi@mail.ru), O. Klimanova, ACBK(olga.klimanova@acbk.kz); Mongolia: Dr B. Lhagvasuren (lkhagvasuren@wwf.panda.org) & B. Chimeddorj,(chimeddorj@wwf.panda.org), WWF-Mongolia; Russia: Professor Yu. Arylov, Centre for Wild Animals ofthe Republic of Kalmykia (kalmsaigak@elista.ru) & Dr A. Lushchekina, Institute of Ecology & Evolution(saigak@hotmail.com); Uzbekistan: E. Bykova [Executive Editor] & Dr A. Esipov, Institute of the Gene poolof Plants and Animals (esipov@xnet.uz); UK: Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland [Advisory Editor], ImperialCollege London (e.j.milner-gulland@imperial.ac.uk).

All contributions are welcome, in any of our six languages. Please send them to esipov@xnet.uz or to one ofthe Editors. We publish twice a year. Guidelines for authors are available in English and Russian atwww.saiga-conservation.com or on request from the Editors. Please contact the Editors responsible for SaigaNews in your country, or the Executive Editor Elena Bykova (esipov@xnet.uz), if you have any questions orconcerns.

This publication is available online at www.saiga-conservation.com andhttp://saigak.biodiversity.ru/publications.html, and as a pdf or in hard copy on request to the Editors, inChinese, English, Kazakh, Mongolian, Russian and Uzbek.

AcknowledgementsThe Saiga Conservation Alliance would like to express its sincere gratitude to the following individuals forsupporting our activities over the last 6 months: Joy Covey and her son Tyler Gerste, Kennon and Bob HudsonStuff & PeeWee Marshall, Carroll Ann Hodges, Nicholas Gonzalez & the Gonzalez Family, Joan Bridgwood,Deborah Chyorneko, Peter Jelinek, Rinat Abdrashitov, Joseph Alfano Bruce Kapron and Patricia Wood.We would like to express our gratitude to the Whitley Fund for Nature and Disney Online studio, DisneyCanada for supporting our educational and monitoring programmes in the saiga range in Uzbekistan, CMS forsupporting communications, and WCN for their ongoing support of our international and regionalprogrammes.We are grateful to the organisations that have supported this issue of the newsletter – WCN, WWF Mongoliaand WCS-China.

Saigas at a watering place

Phot

o by

Eug

eny

Polo

nsky