Saiga Antelope

Nature 4 Minutes

The Saiga Antelope originally inhabited a vast region of the Eurasian steppe zone. Their range once went from the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and Caucasus to Dzungaria and Mongolia.

The dominant species of this animal is currently found in just one location in Russia and three areas in Kazakhstan. Some of the animals located in the Ustiurt region of Kazakhstan migrate south to Uzbekistan and as far as Turkmenistan in winter.

The Saiga antelope is extinct in China and Mongolia. Due to extensive hunting in Romania and Moldova, it is extinct in those areas as well. A Mongolian subspecies is all that remains in Mongolia.

They have an unusual hanging nose, which makes them look like a camel, although they are goat-sized, and male saigas have horns.

The saiga antelope typically forms rather large herds that will graze in various landscapes including steppes, semi-desert, grasslands and sometimes open woodlands.

Their diet consists mostly of several plant species as well as some that are poisonous to other animals. Their range is also vast as these animals can cover great distances. They will swim across rivers, but tend to shy away from steep or rugged regions.

Saiga antelopes have a head and body length of between 3 and 5.6-feet. Their tail can be between 2.4 and 5.2-inches in length and they can have a shoulder height of 2 to 2.6-feet. Depending on the sex and age, saiga antelopes can weigh between 57 and 152-pounds.

They have a very unusual looking face with a large, inflatable nose that makes them look a bit like a camel although the body structure of the saiga strongly suggests a similarity to small sheep. Saiga antelope also have long, spindly legs that aid in their speedy travel.

Their coat is a cinnamon buff to yellowish red in color and somewhat lighter on the under belly. During the summer, the coat is thinner and light while during winter it becomes thick and denser. It is also almost twice as long in the winter and almost 70% thicker than the summer coat. Their waxy-colored horns are semi-translucent and grow to between 8 and 10-inches in length. They contain several rings around the bottom two-thirds of their length.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Concerning Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope was concluded and put into effect in September 2006. It was under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Bonn Convention).

The decline in the saiga antelope population has been identified as one of the fastest population collapses of large mammals in recent memory. The MoU was developed to assist in reducing the exploitation of the animal and to restore its population in Central Asia.

Interesting Saiga Antelope Facts

Their inflatable, humped nose which hangs over its mouth and points downwards helps filter out dust kicked up by the herd.

It also helps cool the animals blood quickly. They also have a large head that has a bulging shape.

Only male Saiga Antelope have horns.

These horns are thick, wax colored, slightly translucent and can grow as long as 15 inches in length.

These animals are known for extensive migratory habits.

The saiga antelope is much like the Mongolia gazelle in that they will travel great distances to avoid any kind of natural disaster.

A number of different predators threaten the existence of these creatures.

In addition to hunting by man, the saiga is vulnerable to wolves. Younger saigas are the target of foxes, ravens, dogs, steppe eagles and golden eagles.

The use of the saiga antelope horn for medicinal purposes has greatly impacted the animal population.

Traditional Chinese medicine has been responsible for the demand for saiga antelope horns. The horns sell for as much as $150 USD and poachers and smugglers have contributed to the extinction of this animal in China.

Although it is probably not a record, Chinese customs officials at the Kazakh Border uncovered a huge shipment of saiga horns in 2014.

A total of 66 cases were seized containing a total of 2,351 saiga antelope horns. The estimated value at the time was over $11-million USD. That would have made each horn worth just over $4,600 USD.

The hunting of saigas has gone on for many centuries.

In fact, estimates point to saiga antelope hunting dating back as far as prehistoric times when hunting was the primary source of food collection.

The saiga antelope has commercial value in the consumer marketplace.

In addition to horns, saiga antelope meat and skin are exported annually from Kazakhstan.

Saiga horn, known as comu antelopis, has many uses in traditional Chinese medicine.

The horn is used as an extract or powder additive which is mixed into elixirs, drinks and ointments for various remedies.

The banning of rhinoceros horn in 1993 has aided the shift in use to saiga horn.

Although the rhinoceros horn has a greater value, following the banning of its use, saiga horn became the logical and affordable alternative in many recipes used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Although the hunting and trade of saiga antelope horns is considered illegal, it still happens.

In fact, horn products are easy to locate and purchase in a variety of venues and businesses. They are also sold openly and publicly.

The meat of the saiga is popular.

Not only is it comparable to that of lamb, saiga meat is said to be both nutritious and delicious. It is also not that difficult to locate recipes for cooking the meat.

Over a 34 year period, massive numbers of saiga antelope were hunted and killed for their meat.

Between 1955 and 1989 over five million saiga antelope were killed in Kazakhstan. It totaled well over 87-thousand tons of meat.

The skin of the saiga is also valuable.

About 45 to 80 square decimeters of skin can come from a single saiga antelope, depending on age and sex. The skin is used for producing suede as well as box calf.

The saiga has varying degrees of sensitivity to their senses.

These animals have both poor hearing and a poorly developed sense of smell. However, their eyesight is considered to be acute. In fact, the saiga can see danger as far as a kilometer away.

SOURCE: FACT ANIMAL

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

133 thoughts on “Saiga Antelope”

  1. Morning All!
    it was rainy and cold when we left yesterday on our banana run–I was worried the driveway would be slippery–it hadn’t warmed up at all during the day and was barely 32* when we left. we were fine.
    but on the way home? my goodness, no less then 4 big bucks ran across the road in front of us. AND–and this is my favorite part–the mighty hunters are down at the neighbor’s old house. they’ve got their 4 wheelers and camp all set up–and right across the road from them in the meadow which they couldn’t see in the dark–were 9 deer grazing– several were buck. they didn’t scatter either from our headlights…lol

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Morning, Pat! I’ve got 32 on my thermometer this morning. A couple more nights below freezing then it’s supposed to warm up again. Wheezer was waiting for breakfast, this time hunkered down near the exterior door. Who knows why!!! He enjoys the petting, now that he’s discovered it can be pleasant, but the food is his primary motivation. Chase mice for your dessert, Wheezer!

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Citizen 817
    Citizen 817
    November 9, 2023 12:25 am

    @realDonaldTrump

    7h
    Ridiculous 14th Amendment lawsuit just thrown out by Minnesota Supreme Court. “Without Merit, Unconstitutional.”Congratulations to all who fought this HOAX!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Feisty Hayseed
    November 9, 2023 1:37 am
    Reply to Abigail Straight

    MTG on Republicans difficulty talking about abortion:

    “Republicans lose on abortion because they have for decades allowed democrats to lie about abortion on every level.

    Republicans refuse to fight hard against the evil lies of the democrats who claim “abortion is women’s healthcare and a right.”

    It is NOT!

    Abortion is murder.

    It kills another human being, the most innocent of all.

    Healthcare saves lives.

    Abortion kills lives.

    A baby in its mother’s womb is not a parasite like democrats say, a baby is God’s beautiful creation and God does not make mistakes and has a plan for every single one of us.

    Abortion does not solve a woman’s problem, but having an abortion will leave you scarred for life and regretfully questioning “what if?” for the rest of your life.

    Motherhood is the most wonderful blessing and most incredible journey of a woman’s life. Being a mother is something to be proud of, delight in, and yearn for.

    Abortion is not birth control but democrats have normalized it so much that it has become so.

    Over 63 million people have been murdered in the past 50 years from abortions.

    Abortion is genocide and none of their screams are heard when each of them are slaughtered in their mother’s wombs.

    These precious little ones cannot fight, cannot defend themselves, cannot flee the abortionists’s weapons of choice that they use to brutally murder them.

    Calling this ongoing genocide “healthcare” is an abomination and political lie that democrats use in order to manipulate women to vote for them and continue the child sacrifices that enable democrats to maintain power.

    There is nothing more evil.

    Republicans must stop being afraid to stand up to democrats disgusting lies about abortion.

    When Republicans boldly speak the truth and present solutions to help women in crisis into motherhood then we will win on this issue.

    Many voters vote for candidates and the party that offers solutions and help to solve the problems people are facing.

    Producing ads that graphically show the truth of an abortion as a baby is being ripped apart or dies lying on a cold metal tray gasping for air after being ripped out of its mother’s womb is the truth America needs to see versus the democrat’s never-ending ads lying to women that baby murder is their right.

    Too offensive? No not for America and definitely not for democrats.”

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Charlotte99
    November 9, 2023 12:39 am

    UPDATE: Police Identify the Pro-Hamas Protestor Who Allegedly Murdered 65-Year-Old Jewish Man Paul Kessler and Raid His Home

    The Daily Mail revealed Wednesday that the man allegedly responsible for Kessler’s death is a 50-year-old college professor named Loay Alnaji. He teaches computer science at Ventura Community College in California.

    Alnaji is married to Palestinian economics professor Nada Al Hammouri and has two young children with her. He came to the United States in the 1990s after previously teaching in the United Arab Emirates.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/11/update-police-identify-pro-hamas-protestor-who-allegedly/

    I TOLD you he was a mooslime

    Liked by 2 people

  13. 🚨 BREAKING: I’m proud to announce my amendment to FIRE Pete Buttigieg just PASSED the House.

    Pothole Pete staged fake bike rides to the White House and used private planes funded by taxpayers to receive awards for the way certain people have sex.

    American taxpayers should not… pic.twitter.com/9fq9XrXLV2

    — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 7, 2023

    Liked by 2 people

  18. what could go wrong using robots?? people could die
    FTA
    A worker has been killed by a box-lifting robot at an agriculture distribution center located in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korean media reported, citing local police.

    The accident at the factory complex occurred late on Tuesday, when the victim, an employee of a robotics company in his forties who was servicing the industrial robots installed at the plant, attempted to inspect the sensor operations of the lifting robot.

    The machine, however, erroneously identified the man as a box of bell peppers, lifting him into the air and slamming him into conveyor belt.

    While the worker survived the initial man-machine altercation, he died at hospital shortly afterwards, succumbing to severe crush injuries to his head and chest. The police pledged to launch a probe to establish the exact causes of the accident, and to investigate managers of the site for possible negligence.

    https://www.rt.com/news/586847-killer-robot-south-korea/

    Liked by 2 people

  20. who would have thought???? cutting down all those trees to put up solar panels caused CO2 to rise–ya think???? the trees “inhale” CO2!!! what morons
    FTA

    ‘Since 2010, over 5,000 acres of natural and working lands have been destroyed for solar development in Massachusetts, resulting in the emission of over half a million metric tons of CO₂— more than the annual emissions of 100,000 passenger cars,’ Mass Audobon [sic] stated in a summary of its study with Harvard Forest.

    ‘Under current siting practices, thousands of acres of forests, farms, and other carbon-rich landscapes are being converted to host large-scale solar,’ the report stated.

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2023/11/harvard_study_deforestation_for_solar_panels_major_cause_of_emissions.html

    Liked by 2 people

  21. https://www.ft.com/content/1c4d3643-dee7-4070-b74a-f2baf1a57dc8
    “Ron DeSantis’s biggest donor is considering switching his support to Donald Trump, in a sharp rebuke of the Florida governor’s White House aspirations.

    Robert Bigelow, a Nevada real estate investor who has funded space exploration and research into paranormal activities, gave more than $20mn to the DeSantis campaign earlier this year, the largest donation to any 2024 candidate, according to the latest federal filings. But Bigelow criticised DeSantis for running a weak campaign — and said Hamas’s attack on Israel last month showed the US needed a “streetwise” leader such as Trump.

    “I’ve got to look at who would probably be the strongest commander, with the most experience . . . And that’s only one guy,” Bigelow told the Financial Times. “Who would you want as a commander? I’d want somebody that would be a hell of an ass kicker if he needed to be,” he said. “On the face of it, you lean toward Trump.”

    Bigelow also said he thought Trump would now defeat DeSantis to win the Republican presidential primary — provided he stayed out of jail. “I think Trump is too strong,” Bigelow said. “I think Trump has the momentum, the inertia, to beat him.” Trump was a “bull”, Bigelow added, but DeSantis was “dinner”. — Financial Times

    Liked by 1 person

  26. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    baking more cookies this morning and rinsing dishes as i go, and i saw something from the kitchen window i have never seen before in our 17 years here.
    a doe in heat came barreling out of the woods and ran behind the pond along the edge and darted into the woods. a 4 point buck charged out behind her and DOVE into the pond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he SWAM across the pond and chased her around the woodshed tiring her out. when she finally stopped, he claimed his prize.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. these people (biden’s admin) are dumber than shit. they want to reintroduce grizzlies near communities.
    FTA
    Under the proposal, the federal government would release up to seven grizzly bears annually into the North Cascades ecosystem over the course of the next five to 10 years. The federal government’s overarching goal would be to establish a grizzly bear population of roughly 200 bears in the coming decades.

    “There’s not the habitat up there for the grizzly bear. There never has been and there never will be,” one resident said during the comment session last week, according to video obtained by Fox News Digital. “So, you’re going to put grizzly bears there, what are they going to do? They’re going to get right out in the winter. They’re going to go right down in Mazama and they’re going to go down in the rest of the area because they’re not going to stay up there. So, I’m opposed to it completely.”

    “If you’re not willing to accept responsibility for what goes down in this county from the actions that you take, you have no business taking those actions,” another resident said, addressing the federal officials in attendance.

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/local-residents-explode-biden-officials-plan-release-grizzly-bears-near-communities

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Michigan ain’t playing…LOL

    Brian Entin
    @BrianEntin
    They are not wasting any time — new elected leaders are changing the locks at the main government building after the entire board was voted out over support for Chinese affiliated EV battery plant.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸
    @RepMTG
    BREAKING: I just filed privileged Articles of Impeachment on Secretary Mayorkas.

    Yesterday, two Americans from my district in Dalton, GA were killed in a high-speed head-on collision at the hands of human traffickers smuggling illegal aliens into this country.

    They had 5 kids who will never get to say goodbye.

    The utter disregard for American life displayed by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas can no longer be ignored. The time for more hearings and phases is over.

    Americans are getting murdered just traveling to see their families.

    Lives have been lost forever. Everyone should care. This is not a political issue.

    That’s why I just introduced privileged Articles to IMPEACH Secretary Mayorkas.

    Liked by 1 person

  34. DC_Draino
    @DC_Draino
    This is infuriating – we lost the VA House & Senate by <5,000 votes b/c Ronna Romney withheld funding

    At this point I’m convinced she’s only working to hurt GOP voters

    She hates us at her core

    And she’s doing the dirty work of her Uncle & his Uniparty friends to sabotage us
    Quote
    #ThePersis

    Liked by 2 people

      1. #ThePersistence
        @ScottPresler
        Did you know that the VAGOP Chairman Rich Anderson requested $ from the RNC?

        The RNC denied his request.

        Meanwhile, Joe Biden ordered the DNC in September to pour $1 million into VA.

        Republicans lost the House & Senate by 2,400 & 1,900 votes, respectively.
        9:40 AM · Nov 9, 2023
        ·
        517.9K
        Views

        Like

  36. NHnative
    November 9, 2023 1:24 pm

    I doubt you’ll see this in the national media, but NH made huge progress yesterday- if you know how to spot that.

    We unseated 3 deeply entrenched Mayors in three of the largest, most dysfunctional and BLUE cities in our state.
    This fella in Berlin- that works at the local JAIL, unseated a seven term Mayor!

    When ya only have 1.35 million people in your whole state, this is a big deal-because we all know that the Blue disease that rots entire states comes out of our cities.

    So this has made my day and given me great hopes that my state will perhaps return to the solid Red color that we are supposed to be.

    A lot of eyes are on NH right now and this is what is going on behind the scenes.. this is a big deal here and a BIG SIGN of what is coming..
    It certainly is capturing the mentally of the average people out there suffering.. they have Had It and voted the bastids OUT.

    https://nhjournal.com/sweeney-election-results-mean-brighter-future-for-manchester-nashua-and-berlin/

    I also heard on the radio here this morning that Trump has a 30 point lead in New Hampshire.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. “Vivek Emerges As Frontrunner Of People Who Are Never Going To Be President”
    POLITICS · Nov 9, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

    U.S. — Multiple sources lauded presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s performance at last night’s GOP debate, making him the clear frontrunner of people who will never be President.

    “Wow, what a stellar performance by Vivek,” said conservative commentator Fidge McNithers to his podcast audience of 12. “He was informed, entertaining, and presidential. This is incredible, considering he won’t be President.”

    Pundits from Fox News, NBC, CNN, and others were in agreement. “Vivek, who will not be the Republican candidate in next year’s election, really knocked it out of the park,” said CNN anchor Chris Matthews to his cable news audience of 10. “He also nailed the ‘I’m an arrogant, insufferable tool’ personality type Americans love in a president, which Vivek will never be.”

    Other commentators disagreed, insisting that among the group of candidates on stage who will never step one foot in the Oval Office in an official capacity for the remainder of their lives, DeSantis and Haley had the best performances.

    “We really need to wait and see, because this could be anyone’s race,” said former CNN anchor Brian Stelter to his audience of a single votive candle featuring a saintly image of Dr. Fauci. “I prefer to wait and see who comes out on top of this group of future non-presidential candidates.”

    At publishing time, Tim Scott had emerged as the new frontrunner after showing off his girlfriend who will never be First Lady.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. She’s one I simply can’t stand and I was never into the pop singers anyway. It was always country, rock or a little bit of the blues, and certain singers like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, etc.

        Liked by 1 person

  42. yup…first they said asians…they meant chinese all along

    Paul Sperry
    @paulsperry_
    DEVELOPING: Investigators suspect prostitution ring may have been part of Chinese espionage plot targeting high-tech government contracting centers like Cambridge and Tysons Corner

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ah, yes, Tysons Corner! Very familiar with that area; we spent a LOT of hours at that shopping mall, let me tell you!!! That was the mall I took HB to every year to see Santa! And, of course, I worked within 1 mile around Tysons for many years.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. And I know for a fact, first-hand, that the defense contractors make “arrangements” for certain foreigners all the time. In my case, it was a Saudi Colonel who wanted a pretty lady on his arm for the evening and he didn’t have any long-term paramours in the NOVA area – he had them all over the world, apparently. It was put to me as a suggestion that I act as his hostess/arm candy and if I chose to take it anywhere else, that was up to me. Absolutely NO pressure, mind you – truly – they knew better than that, especially with me. I chose to agree out of curiosity and dang, he had some REALLY fine looking young officers in his entourage! LOL – it was a very enjoyable evening, actually – very intelligent guy and those young lieutenants could dance, I’ll have you know! LOL – at one point during the evening, he made an oblique reference to a “long-term” distance “relationship” and I politely declined – again, no pressure whatsoever. I had a really good time, actually, and I have to admit – that was quite a lofty feeling, to be THE one woman in the center of all those hunks!

      Liked by 1 person

        1. It may have been included in one at some point – I know I’ve commented about that job. We managed the first sale of the AWACS to Saudi Arabia in the early ’80’s – the actual planes were delivered in ’86-’87.

          Liked by 1 person

  43. forgot about my walmart report!

    in our little walmart, the only stuff in a locked glass cabinet are the “intimate” items and unfortunately, we needed something from there. hubby went to the pharmacist and asked her to unlock it and she responded we don’t have a key…only customer service does but I’ll call them for you.
    we heard the page over the pa system and went back to the case to wait. after about 15 minutes, hubby said you go do the grocery shopping, i’ll find you when i’m done. 15 minutes later i heard a repeat page over the pa. i was nearly finished shopping when hubby reappeared without getting ANYONE to help him in 40 minutes!

    but we did score big when we went to check out…there in the front of the line was a display with candy corn–75% OFF…i got 4 bags for the price of one…LOL

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Wow! That sucks bigtime! At our WM, the only thing that is locked up that I’ve noticed is ammo and electronics. When I had to get printer ink, they had to unlock the display cabinet and I had to pay for it this time at the electronics counter. Before, they unlocked the container and gave it to you to scan with everything else. With the liquor, it is flagged and an attendant has to approve it at the checkout. But I also don’t pay attention to any sections where I don’t shop so there may be other items locked up.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. you might be right about the ammo–i never look at it so i wouldn’t know. i just meant in the general shopping area–none of the hair products are locked up nor are the vitamins, medicines, make up…stuff like that

        Liked by 1 person

  48. this woman needs to be impeached and then imprisoned!!!! WTF
    she invited Russia and China to visit our nuclear test sites!
    FTA
    Republicans are demanding answers after it emerged that Democrat President Joe Biden’s Department of Energy (DOE) chief invited Chinese Communist Party leaders to inspect a sensitive U.S. nuclear testing site.

    A coalition of 18 House Republicans, led by GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY), is pressing Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm for answers over the major breach of national security.

    In a letter sent Thursday morning, Stefanik and the other Republicans blasted Granholm for her agency’s invitation for foreign adversaries to inspect a sensitive U.S. nuclear testing site.

    Granholm’s DOE offered China and Russia “unprecedented access” to the Department’s Nevada National Security Site.

    In September, Bloomberg reported that the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration invited Chinese and Russian officials to tour the site.

    The invitation reportedly sought to prove to America’s enemies that the U.S. is upholding a three-decade moratorium against testing nuclear weapons.

    “I am leading my colleagues in demanding that President Biden revoke this misguided invitation to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow that grants them unprecedented access and insight into our nuclear weapons,” Stefanik told Fox News.

    “Inviting Communist China and Russia to have a front-row seat for our sensitive nuclear weapons tests will give them invaluable information on how to defeat our nuclear capabilities and improve their own.”

    “At a time when our adversaries are growing their nuclear stockpiles to undermine America’s leadership allowing them access to one of our nuclear test sites will only advance this pursuit and lead to our own destruction,” she continued.

    The National Nuclear Security Administration invited its Chinese and Russian counterparts to tour the Nevada site — where sensitive nuclear experimentation is conducted — during the latest International Atomic Energy Agency summit, according to Bloomberg.

    https://slaynews.com/news/bidens-energy-chief-invited-chinese-communist-party-leaders-national-security-site-gop-demands-answers/

    Liked by 1 person



  49. (An Asian sheepshead wrasse mature male in breeding coloration. Niigata, Japan.”

    “JAPAN’S TATEYAMA BAY IS HOME to a lifelong friendship—between a local diver and a fish named Yoriko. The diver, Hiroyuki Arakawa, has long served as the de facto caretaker for an underwater Shinto shrine, and it is through these dives that he met Yoriko, an Asian sheepshead wrasse, over 25 years ago.

    The pair’s relationship soon blossomed into a full-blown friendship. Now, whenever Arakawa visits the shrine, he need only knock on a piece of a metal, and Yoriko immediately speeds over. In the video, Arakawa can be seen kissing Yoriko. His Facebook page is also full of selfies of the unlikely duo. These human-fish friendships do not appear to be limited to Arakawa. A group of fisherman has also developed a relationship with local whale sharks.”

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.