Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Erlan Nysanbayev, has announced the government’s decision to begin controlling the rapidly expanding population of the saiga antelope in the country.
The announcement was made following a June 28 meeting of the minister with farmers in the West Kazakhstan region, who complained about the catastrophic damage to agricultural crops and pastures caused by saigas.
West Kazakhstan farmers voiced concerns that their fields are being destroyed, livestock is losing pastures, and the dangerously growing saiga population could paralyze agricultural activity.
According to farmers, in some areas, the damage from trampling of crops and pastures by saigas amounts to hundreds of millions of Kazakh tenge. Farmers are losing investments, feed, livestock, and the ability to ensure food security for the region.
Farmer Kairat Zulkashev stated: “We are losing crops every season and incurring huge losses. This is not just a question of animals — it is a question of food security, the survival of small farmers, and a threat to stability. If measures are not taken, we will lose entire farms.”
Director of ECO Club LLP Bekzhan Sabanov emphasized that the decision could no longer be postponed: “The number of saiga antelopes has reached such a level that it is already a threat to agriculture. Animal populations are regulated all over the world to avoid conflict between wildlife and economic activity. For example, in Australia they control the number of kangaroos. We don’t need a discussion – we need concrete measures.”
Following the meeting, the minister stated: “Based on scientific findings, farmers’ proposals, and the world practice of regulating animal species, a decision has been made to regulate the saiga population.”
According to the 2025 census, the saiga population in Kazakhstan reached 3.9 million. This is almost three times higher than the historical maximum recorded in 1974 (1.2 million). In the West Kazakhstan region alone, the number of saigas exceeds 2.3 million.
Once an endangered species, the saiga population in Kazakhstan decreased to fewer than 40,000 by 2005 due to overhunting and habitat loss. In response, the government imposed strict hunting bans and conservation measures, which allowed the species to rebound significantly.
Photo: gov.kz
