Saiga is a goat-sized animal known for its unusual nose. The nose is large, flexible, and humped. Scientists think this unique configuration serves at least two purposes. In summer, it helps to filter out the dust stirred up by the saiga as they move about in large herds. In winter, the nose warms up cold air before it enters the lungs. Saigas are not closely related to any living animals. They are survivors from the Pleistocene Epoch , a time in Earth’s history that lasted from about 2.6 million years ago to about 11,500 years ago.
Saigas live in the open rangelands of Central Asia . Most of them migrate between the rich grass steppes of the north in summer and the southern desert areas in winter. In the spring, saigas migrate across the steppes by the thousands. Females gather in huge groups to give birth. Most births are twins. All births happen within a narrow interval, about one week. The calves lie still and hidden in the grass for the first two days. By one week old, they are ready to start following their mothers northward. Giving birth in huge numbers is thought to help protect saiga against predators (hunting animals) such as wolves. The narrow birth interval also allows the saiga to feed as much as possible during the short growing season for plants in the steppes.
Saigas stand about 2 to 2 1/2 feet (60 to 80 centimeters) tall at the shoulders and measure about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet (110 to 140 centimeters) long. They weigh about 45 to 110 pounds (20 to 50 kilograms). Saigas have short, sandy-colored fur in the summer and thick, pale fur in the winter. The males have larger noses compared with the females and ridged horns with black tips.
Saigas were once much more numerous, with over 1 million individuals only a few decades ago. Poaching for horns and meat have greatly reduced their numbers. Saiga horns are valued in Chinese traditional medicine , in which they are used to treat fever, liver disease, and other illnesses. Saigas are considered critically endangered , the highest level of extinction threat.
In 2015, saigas suffered a massive die-off that affected entire herds. Females and their calves were most affected, becoming ill and dying within hours. About half of the global population perished. Scientists determined that the blood of saigas was poisoned by a bacteria called Pasteurella multocida. This bacteria normally lives harmlessly in the saiga’s snout. However, a season of higher than normal temperatures and humidity caused the bacteria to multiply quickly and it became deadly for the animals. Similar mass die-offs have occurred in the past. After past die-offs, saigas populations quickly recovered. Scientists believe that with protection from poaching, saiga populations will recover.
