Saiga antelopes - the basics

The saiga antelope is a unique inhabitant of the vast plains of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It is a relict of the ice age fauna that included mammoths and sabre tooth cats, and is evolutionarily distinct from other antelopes. It is also a symbol of the steppe for the nomadic people it shares its habitat with, and has been an important source of food and inspiration for centuries.

Latin name: Saiga tarctica.
Appearance: In summer, the saiga’s coat is a rich chestnut colour and its belly and legs are pale. In winter, it has a thick, pale buff coat and the males’ noses swell for the rut.
Subspecies: Two. Saiga tatarica tatarica lives in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and, in extremely cold winters, Turkmenistan. Saiga tatarica mongolica lives in Mongolia, and until the 1960s, China.
Habitat: Arid Eurasian steppe.
Height: Roughly the size of a goat, measuring about 70cm tall.
Weight: Males weigh about 41kg and females about 28kg.
Diet: Grasses, herbs and shrubs.
Predators: Wolves and foxes. Eagles take calves.
Mating: A male defends a harem of up to 30 females and mates with them over a 10-day period in early to mid-December.
Gestation: 140-150 days, with calves usually born over a one-week period in early May.
Number of Young: First-year females typically have one calf, older females have twins or, occasionally, triplets.
Status: Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to decline from a million in early 1990s to just six per cent of that by 2005.