{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "saiga-antelope",
  "name": "Saiga Antelope",
  "scientificName": "Saiga tatarica",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) is a bulbous-nosed steppe antelope of Kazakhstan and Russia, with a Mongolian subspecies further east. The oversized nose filters dust and warms frigid air. Adults weigh about 40 kg and are Critically Endangered after mass die-offs, poaching for horns, and Soviet-era collapses — though recent Kazakhstan recoveries offer hope.",
  "conservationStatus": "Critically Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Bovidae",
    "genus": "Saiga"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 40,
    "lengthM": 1.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 70,
    "lifespanYears": 8
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Saiga tatarica"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Open steppe and semi-desert"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 8 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 40 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 70 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Critically Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Steppe of Kazakhstan and Russia; a Mongolian subspecies also exists.",
    "continents": [
      "Asia",
      "Europe"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/saiga-antelope/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/saiga-antelope/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}