Saiga antelope

Why in News

      The status of Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has been changed from critically endangered to near threatened.

Important Points

•     The Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica and S. borealis mongolica) is a large migratory herbivore of Central Asia found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The saiga generally inhabits open dry steppe grasslands and semi-arid deserts. This antelope has an extremely unusual appearance with an over-sized and flexible nose, the internal structure of which acts like a filter. During the summer it filters out a dust kicked up by the herd and during the winter warms up the freezing air before it is taken into the lungs. In the spring large herds of female saiga gather and migrate to the breeding areas.