20 December 2004

Saiga Antelope Range States and China Get Together in Bangkok

An informal dialogue meeting on 21 November 2004 at IUCN's World Conservation Congress in Bangkok saw experts and officials responsible for the critically endangered Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica tatarica) share their deep concern and express support for a range of conservation actions. The gathering was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and IUCN/SSC's European Sustainable Use Specialist Group (ESUSG), supported by the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), Fauna Flora International (FFI) and Uzbekistan Zoological Society. Probably for the first time, representatives from the main Range States (Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and China came together in a meeting specifically focussing on this species.

A status report based on data provided by the Darwin Initiative Saiga project confirmed that population numbers had plummeted from 1 million around 1990 to some 31,000 individuals in 2003, including the sub-species Saiga tatarica mongolica. The CMS Secretariat reported that two of the four Saiga tatarica tatarica Range States were ready to sign the draft Memorandum of Understanding on Saiga Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use drafted in 2002. Hope was expressed by the meeting that the two other Range States would signal their readiness shortly.

The decision of the CITES Conference in Bangkok in October 2004 to promote various actions on behalf of Saiga was noted with appreciation. Chinese colleagues announced the recent seizure of between 2,000 and 3,000 kg of illegally imported Saiga horn, along with measures to register legally held stocks and to initiate tougher enforcement action against smuggling of and trade in illegal horn. These moves were warmly welcomed.

Brief reports provided background information on a number of small-scale Saiga projects already helping to support the implementation of the Action Plan that accompanies the draft Memorandum. All present agreed that there was need for urgent progress to secure major funding for work on livelihood measures and the elimination of all illegal trade.

Subsequently those present worked by consensus to achieve a balanced motion on Saiga conservation, which was later adopted by the delegates at the Plenary Session of the Congress.

Re-issued by the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species and the European Sustainable Use Specialist Group of IUCN/SSC