# Saiga Antelope (*Saiga tatarica*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Critically Endangered
- **Range:** Steppe of Kazakhstan and Russia; a Mongolian subspecies also exists.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/saiga-antelope/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Bovidae
- **Genus:** Saiga

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Saiga tatarica |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Habitat | Open steppe and semi-desert |
| Lifespan | Around 8 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 40 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 70 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |

## Proboscis of the steppe

The inflatable snout filters dust in summer migrations and warms air in winter. Males grow translucent lyrate horns prized in traditional medicine markets — a poaching magnet.

## Migratory steppe grazer

Herds graze grasses and forbs across open steppe and semi-desert, historically covering vast seasonal routes in Central Asia. Across its range it is tied to open steppe and semi-desert, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Kazakhstan–Russia heartland

Steppe of Kazakhstan and Russia; a distinct subspecies occurs in Mongolia. Across its range it is tied to open steppe and semi-desert, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Critically Endangered boom–bust

Pasteurellosis mass mortality in 2015 killed hundreds of thousands in Kazakhstan. Combined with horn poaching, IUCN lists saiga Critically Endangered even as some populations rebound under protection.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do saiga have such big noses?

The snout filters dust in dry summers and helps warm and moisten frigid winter air.

### Why are saiga Critically Endangered?

Poaching for male horns, habitat disruption, and catastrophic disease die-offs collapsed numbers.

### Do only male saiga have horns?

Yes — females are hornless; poaching therefore skews sex ratios.

### Where do saiga live?

Central Asian steppe mainly in Kazakhstan and Russia, plus a Mongolian subspecies.

### Are saiga recovering?

Some Kazakhstan populations have increased under protection, but the species remains Critically Endangered.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/saiga-antelope/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.