Saiga
Saiga are unique goat antelopes characterized by their distinctive oversized, downward-pointing noses, which serve to warm and moisten the dry air they breathe. These animals, resembling a blend of deer and anteater, live primarily in the open plains of Central Asia, where they graze in herds of 30 to 40. Saigas have a notable mating season in December, during which males, or bucks, develop harems of females, often resulting in high mortality rates due to their neglect of feeding during this time. Females generally give birth to twins after a gestation period of approximately 140 to 150 days.
Historically, saiga populations have faced significant challenges, including critical endangerment from 2002 to 2021 due to disease outbreaks, which devastated large portions of their populations. However, as of April 2023, conservation efforts have led to a recovery, with saigas being classified as near threatened. In terms of physical characteristics, males are larger than females and possess distinct horns. Saigas have adapted unique migration patterns, traveling substantial distances in search of food and better living conditions, showcasing their resilience in the face of environmental challenges. Their lifespan typically ranges from 10 to 12 years.
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Saiga
Saigas mate in the cold, winter months. Many male saigas die after mating season because they do not eat during that time. These goat antelopes have stubby-looking noses that warm and moisten the dry air they breathe. They also use their nose for mating calls during the mating season.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Saiga
Species: Tatarica
Saigas are goat antelope that look like a cross between a deer and an anteater with its nose sawed off. Their tan-colored coats are dense and woolly, and turn white and thicker during the winter. Their heads are large, with an oversized nose that points downward. During the mating season, the male develops a thick mane on his neck, his nose swells, and thick patches of hair grow under his eyes. The male also has thick, pale, amber-colored horns with 12 to 20 ridges 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) long. Male saigas grow to be between 2 and 2 1/2 feet (60 to 75 centimeters) tall and have a head and body length of between 3 1/2 and 5 feet (108 to 150 centimeters). Males weigh between 66 and 110 pounds (30 to 50 kilograms). Females are a little smaller, growing to 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 feet (45 to 75 centimeters) tall with a head and body length between 3 1/2 and 4 feet (108 to 120 centimeters). Females weigh between 57 and 88 pounds (21 to 40 kilograms).
Though they were once found from England across to Alaska, saigas are now only found on the open plains of Central Asia. They graze in herds of 30 to 40, searching for food and eating as they go. Many of the low-growing shrubs and grasses they eat are poisonous or unappetizing to other animals. Saigas migrate south for the winter in huge herds, searching for better living conditions. They may travel 125 miles (200 kilometers) in a single day.
When fleeing from a predator, such as a wolf, saigas will go around an obstacle instead of jumping over it like other antelopes. Young saigas are also threatened by eagles, foxes, and ravens.
The mating season for the saiga begins in December. Bucks (male saigas) develop harems, or herds of females, with whom they will mate. The harems can include up to 50 females but usually range in size from 5 to 15. The does (females) give birth to their young in flat, short grass after a gestation period (duration of pregnancy) of 140 to 150 days. Three out of four females give birth to twins. The young weighs 7 3/4 pounds (3 1/2 kilograms). Unlike other bovidae, saigas mate at night. Bucks spend so much time mating that up to 85 percent may die during the winter after mating because they neglect eating. Males reach maturity after 20 months and females after 12 months.
From 2002 to 2021, saigas were critically endangered. Around 75 percent of the largest population of saiga in Kyrgyzstan was killed by a virus in 2015. Two years later, 60 percent of Mongolia's saiga were killed by an infection that originated in livestock. The populations recovered well and were listed as near threatened in April 2023.
The life span of the saiga is 10 to 12 years.
Bibliography
Pascoe, Lauren. "Saiga Tatarica." Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Saiga‗tatarica. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
"Saiga." A-Z Animals, 23 May 2023, a-z-animals.com/animals/saiga. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.
"Saiga." San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/saiga. Accessed 15 Apr. 2024.