Posted on octubre, 16 2015

The Mongolian saiga is an endangered species, found only in Mongolia. To ensure efficient conservation of the species, scientific researches and studies are inevitably necessary. At the initiative of WWF-Mongolia, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Environmental Office of Govi-Altai aimag, and Saiga Conservation Network Team have put satellite image transmitting collars to saiga individuals for a period from 29 September to 1 October, 2015.  The purpose of this effort is to define movement, migration, and distribution range of the Mongolian saiga, collect baseline data on the species population vulnerability assessment, and assess impacts of the current roads on the species population. Additionally, it will provide an opportunity to collect baseline data needed for potential re-introduction of the Mongolian saiga. Researchers, who participated in this exercise, reported that a total of eight individuals of the species were fitted with collars.  According to the initial six-day data they obtained, the individuals with collars have moved for a distance of about 40 km. As planned, the researchers are going to obtain and track data from the collars at least for one year and three months.   
To provide basic details on the species population, the Mongolian saiga population is basically distributed in vicinities of Khar Us and Durgun Lakes in a territory of Khovd aimag and Khuis and then in the south namely in Shargyn Gobi.  However, some individuals of the species have become seen in a territory of Zavkhan soum of Uvs aimag since 2014.  This evidence shows that the species is moving to its former distribution range. A state environmental inspector of the soum reports that there were over 40 saiga individuals spent their winter in the soum’s territory. Returning of the endangered species to its former range is often good news for environmentalists and wildlife conservationists.  On other hand, it shows a progress in the species conservation efforts providing evidence of increasing species population. As a result of joint conservation efforts of WWF-Mongolia with local governments and communities in recent years, the saiga population has been increasing and its population size has reached 13,800.  Due to the dzud, a natural disaster during winter of 2001/2002, the species population had been reduced down to 750 individuals.