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Tests are still being conducted, but it's most likely an
outbreak of peste-des-petits ruminants, or "sheep and goat plague",
that has spread in livestock throughout the region.
The Saiga Conservation Alliance is working with governmental
agencies, rangers, the Wildlife Conservation Society and
WWF-Mongolia to investigate the outbreak, identify 'hot-spots' and
stop it before it does more harm to saigas.
However, there is cause for hope.
Carlyn Samuel, Saiga Conservation Alliance
In continued analyses of samples from the catastrophic mass die-off of saiga antelopes from May 2015, laboratories have identified the bacteriumPasteurella multocidaas the causative agent of haemorrhagic septicaemia, which led to the death of the animals. With recent histopathology confirming this diagnosis. Attempts to identify other infectious agents such as viruses, using latest diagnostic methods, have failed to find anything significant and confirmed consistent Pasteurella infection in all cases examined. Hence it seems unlikely that an underlying infection predisposed the population to catastrophic haemorraghic septicaemia.
Alyona Krivosheyeva, Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan,
Liesje Birchenough, FFI,
liesje.birchenough@fauna-flora.org
'Mere enthusiasm is not enough to feed a saiga!' - Y. Arylov
Yuri Nimeyevich Arylov is the Director of the Centre for Wild Animals in the Republic of Kalmykia, a Doctor of Biology, a Professor at the Kalmyk State University and an honoured worker of science of the Republic of Kalmykia.
It is obvious that saigas have been Professor Arylov's passion for many years. His range of interests in science are wide, having been actively engaged for the last 24 years in studying ungulate ecology, in particular saigas, game ranching, environment protection, and ecological education for different sectors of the population.
Alexander Esipov, Saiga Conservation
Alliance, esipov@xnet.uz
Alyona Krivosheyeva, Association for the Conservation of
Biodiversity of Kazakhstan
Among the priority tasks of the Altyn Dala Conservation
Initiative (ADCI) implemented by ACBK and partners is the efficient
management of protected areas in the ADCI network so they can
achieve their goals. Five year Protected Area Management Plans are
an essential tool for effective management.