Saiga
CR

Saiga

Saiga tatarica

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Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Saiga faces severe threats from illegal hunting for its horns, which are highly valued in traditional medicine, leading to dramatic population declines. Habitat loss from agricultural expansion and infrastructure development, combined with climate change impacts on grassland ecosystems, further threaten remaining populations. Disease outbreaks have also caused catastrophic mortality events in recent years.

Threat summary

Habitat

Semi-arid grasslands, steppes, and semi-deserts of Central Asia, including open plains and rolling hills with sparse vegetation. The species migrates seasonally between summer and winter ranges across these vast grassland ecosystems.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Saiga classified as Critically Endangered?
Saiga is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Saiga faces severe threats from illegal hunting for its horns, which are highly valued in traditional medicine, leading to dramatic population declines. Habitat loss from agricultural expansion and infrastructure development, combined with climate change impacts on grassland ecosystems, further threaten remaining populations. Disease outbreaks have also caused catastrophic mortality events in recent years.
Where does Saiga live?
Saiga occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Saiga?
The main threats to Saiga are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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