Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Partner to Revive Saiga Population

On July 22, the Uzbek Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change announced that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will sign a memorandum of understanding to conserve saigas, with the possibility of reintroducing the antelope species in Uzbekistan.

The document outlines a broad range of joint activities, including the creation of transboundary protected areas and migration corridors for saiga, restoration of key pastures, water bodies and ecosystems, the development of a saiga antelope reintroduction program, and cooperation in research, monitoring, and data sharing, The Caspian Post reports citing Kazakh media.

The saiga is a rare, endangered species whose range in the past covered vast territories, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and the southern regions of Russia. Today, this species is listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which underscores its high degree of vulnerability and the need for international efforts to conserve it.

Once an endangered species in Kazakhstan, the saiga population has reached a record 4.1 million this year, thanks to the efforts of the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative. Last year, Altyn Dala conservation initiative earned one of the world’s most coveted environmental accolades, Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, for its success in recovering once-critical endangered saiga antelopes.