On February 10th of this year, Kazakhstan made a decision to pause efforts in regulating the saiga population, taking into consideration suggestions from the nation’s scientific community and input from international experts, as conveyed by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
The protection and monitoring system implemented over recent decades have yielded substantial outcomes in replenishing the saiga population. Latest figures indicate a surge from 21,000 individuals in 2003 to an impressive 1.915 million by spring 2023. Projections estimate the total saiga count, accounting for newborns, to be approximately 2.6 million by the end of 2023, with the Ural population exceeding 1.5 million. Considering an annual growth rate of 40%, the population is anticipated to surpass 4.2 million by 2025.
A significant step forward in managing the saiga population was devised by scientists at Zhangir Khan University, proposing a method to maintain population balance by selectively extracting a specific number of individuals.
The forthcoming phase entails devising a framework for the sustainable utilization of saiga populations spanning from 2024 to 2026. Plans include deliberations on potentially introducing amateur (sport) hunting for saigas starting in 2024. Dialogue on regulatory adjustments in this realm engages various governmental and public entities to ensure a harmonious equilibrium between preservation efforts and the sustainable utilization of this unique natural asset.
