Saiga Antelope

The saiga antelope is a distinctive, critically endangered antelope native to the steppe and semi-desert grasslands of Central Asia, most notably Kazakhstan, recognized by its unusually large, bulbous, flexible nose, an adaptation thought to warm and filter frigid, dusty air in winter and to cool it in the dry heat of summer. Saiga move in large herds across open grassland, undertaking substantial seasonal migrations in search of grazing, and males carry pale, ridged horns prized in some traditional medicine markets, a major driver of historic poaching pressure. The species has suffered catastrophic population crashes, including mass die-offs from disease outbreaks and severe declines from poaching following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and despite some recent recovery in parts of its range, it remains classified as critically endangered.