ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s saiga population has exceeded 4.6 million animals, marking a historic recovery for the critically endangered antelope and reinforcing the country’s position as the guardian of the vast majority of the world’s saiga population. The recovery of the saiga population in Kazakhstan has emerged as one of the world’s most remarkable conservation success stories.
Photo credit: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources The saiga, recognizable for its distinctive bulbous nose, plays an important role in the steppe ecosystem and has become a symbol of Kazakhstan’s natural heritage. The figures represent the findings of the nationwide spring census, reported the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK).
Annual aerial saiga surveys are conducted across Kazakhstan each spring. The survey was organized by the Okhotzooprom state enterprise under Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. “The survey estimates showed the Ural saiga population at around 2.7 million animals, up 17.4% from 2025.
The Ustyurt population was estimated at around 119,000, an increase of 52.6%, while the Betpak-Dala population reached approximately 1.87 million, up 16.9%,” said the association, which carried out the scientific component of the survey, including flight planning and population estimates.
Two AN-2 aircraft were used for the survey, which totaled 215 flight hours and required maintaining specific altitude and speed parameters. The species experienced a substantial decline in the late 20th and early 21st centuries because of poaching, habitat loss, and disease.
In the early 2000s, the population in Kazakhstan had fallen to fewer than 25,000 animals, raising concerns about the species’ survival. Environmental authorities attribute the recovery to strengthened anti-poaching measures, expanded protected areas, scientific monitoring, and international conservation efforts.
Cooperation between government agencies, conservation organizations, and local communities has also contributed to the species’ rebound. The rapid increase in saiga numbers, however, has created new challenges. Farmers in several regions have reported damage to crops and competition for pastureland.
Authorities have been studying possible measures to manage the growing population while maintaining conservation goals. The saiga’s recovery has become one of the world’s leading conservation success stories, helping the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, a flagship project of the ACBK, win the 2024 Earthshot Prize.