WCN Wildlife Conservation Network | Saiga Conservation Alliance

The spirit of innovation in conservation

Elena Bykova

Elena Bykova, a native of Uzbekistan, is a founding member of SCA and leader for saiga protection in her country. She has a strong background in field research, as well as a unique ability to foster collaboration among community members and influential leaders. In this young and growing project, Elena and her team are actively making a difference for the saiga antelope and the people of the region.

Confiscated saiga horn, Photo: Alexander Esipov

Threats

The saiga antelope roams the steppes and plains of Central Asia and Russia. It is a relic of Ice Age fauna that included mammoths and saber-tooth cats. Herds of saiga once numbered in the millions, but today only 40,000 survive. In the past ten years, saiga numbers have declined by 96%, the fastest decline ever recorded for a mammal species.

Solutions

The Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA) is a group of scientists and conservationists working in countries throughout the saiga's range to bring the plight of the saiga antelope to the world's attention. In cooperation with local communities and governments, SCA is creating a new understanding of the saiga's role in the environment and finding solutions to secure its future.

12,000 Saiga Dead
in Kazakhstan

May 28, 2010 - For the second time this year, the saiga antelope is under extreme threat. In western Kazakhstan, nearly 12,000 saiga antelope have been found dead in the past week, mostly females that had recently given birth and their young calves. The cause of this mass death is still under investigation; both disease and poisoning are being considered. Field teams are now collecting information to identify the cause of death and take steps to conserve the remainder of the population. Read More