Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has achieved the almost unprecedented feat: saving the critically endangered Saiga Antelope from extinction. This mission has grown into one of the world’s largest conservation projects – to protect and restore Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe.
The Golden Steppe is one of the world’s least protected natural ecosystems, facing serious threats from climate change, intensive agriculture, and industrial development. Nearly 50% of its 75 million hectares of prehistoric grasslands were degraded or destroyed due to overgrazing during the Soviet era, leading to a dramatic decline in wildlife populations.
The Saiga Antelope, once abundant, was pushed to the brink of extinction by poaching and disease. In 2015, a warm, humid summer triggered a virus outbreak that wiped out 60% of the Saiga population, underscoring their vulnerability to climate change.
To protect this vast landscape and prevent further environmental damage, a targeted and strategic approach is essential. The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative is a partnership between the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) and the Government of Kazakhstan’s Committee for Forest and Wildlife. Since 2015, Executive Director Vera Voronova has led the initiative alongside ACBK.
Altyn Dala collaborates with Fauna & Flora, the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, benefiting from their expertise in wildlife crime prevention, species reintroduction, habitat management, and advanced surveillance technologies. This partnership supports Altyn Dala’s efforts, including cutting-edge research and monitoring. They’ve tagged 250 Saiga Antelopes with telemetry devices to track their nomadic movements, allowing them to focus on protecting the antelopes’ breeding and feeding habitats. Their scientific approach has helped the government make evidence-based decisions for restoring and managing protected areas.
In an extraordinary conservation success, the Saiga Antelope has recovered from “critically endangered” to “near threatened” status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. From a population of just 20,000 in 2003, the steppe is now home to 2.86 million Saiga.
Protecting such a large area requires collaboration between government rangers, monitoring specialists, and researchers. Altyn Dala also works closely with local communities, raising awareness about the importance of the steppe and their role as caretakers of this ancient landscape. Their efforts create jobs and training opportunities, while engaging children and schools in learning about the ecosystem and wildlife, helping foster a sense of responsibility for protecting it.
Vera Voronova, Executive Director, Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative
Altyn Dala’s long-term goal is to restore a fully functional Steppe grassland ecosystem in Kazakhstan. Enhancing biodiversity is key, and in June 2024, they reintroduced seven Przewalski’s Wild Horses to the steppe after an absence of 200 years. By 2030, they aim to grow the Saiga Antelope population to 4 million and bring 8.5 million hectares under active conservation management.
As the initiative expands, they will need more boots on the ground, aiming to employ 725 full-time staff by 2030. They are also committed to education, influencing students at primary and university levels, offering internships, and providing research and career opportunities to engage future generations in conservation work.
The potential to replicate Altyn Dala’s approach is significant. They are eager to share their knowledge and best practices with other grassland conservation initiatives and advocate for grassland restoration on a global scale. By 2030, they plan to collaborate with countries like the USA, Mongolia, Argentina, Uzbekistan, and India to help them achieve their own conservation successes through long-term partnerships and trust.
