A mysterious infection killing thousands of antelope may drive them to extinction

An increasingly rare species of antelope called the saiga may be roaming its last days in the wild.

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Native to the grassy steppes of Kazakhstan and nearby regions, populations of the critically endangered species have suffered one catastrophic die-off after the next over the past 15 years.

About 60,000 of the creatures died in four days alone in May 2015, Tia Ghose of Live Science reports.

saiga antelope mother calf usfws
USFWS/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Conservationist and ecologist Steffen Zuther told Ghose that the speed, spread, and severity of the yet-unexplained killings "has not been observed for any other species," Zuther said. "It's really unheard of."

However, the recent deaths are only one event in the species' alarming, recent, and mysterious decline.

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Keep scrolling to learn more about the majestic animals — and what might be causing their imminent extinction.

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Saiga are grass-eating antelope that have an unusual, humped nose that drapes over their mouths.

saiga antelope trot cc by sa 3
Seilov/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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More than 90% of saiga live as a subspecies in the grassy steppes of Kazakhstan and parts of Russia. Another subspecies lives in Mongolia.

saiga antelope population map google maps
Google Maps

Sources: WWF, Saiga Conservation Alliance

Adult males grow sharp horns and weigh up to 110 lbs, while females have no horns and weigh up to 90 pounds.

sparring saiga antelope usfws
USFWS/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

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Saiga travel in herds of 30 to 40 animals, yet are known to migrate in clusters of tens of thousands of individuals. The World Wildlife Fund says these super-herds are among "the most spectacular migrations in the world."

saiga antelope mother calf 1
Hermann J. Knippertz/Associated Press

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But after the breakup of the Soviet Union, hunters, habitat loss, and disease outbreaks thinned millions of saiga to just 50,000 — a loss of 95% of the animals.

saiga antelope mother calf usfws
USFWS/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Sources: WWF, Nature

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Conservationists banded together in 1994 to do something about the problem — and they did, helping grow populations to about 257,000 animals by April 2014.

saiga antelope mother calf 2
Hermann J. Knippertz/Associated Press

Sources: WWF, Live Science, Nature

But outbreaks of a mysterious, deadly disease are threatening to finish off the majestic animals.

dead saiga antelope sergei khomenko fao 3
Sergei Khomenko/FAO

Sources: WWF, Live Science

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During four days in May 2015, veterinarians counted 60,000 dead animals. But batches of 10,000 or more perished prior to the unprecedented die-off.

saiga antelope die off steffen zuther acbk
Steffen Zuther/ACBK

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Normally harmless gut bacteria called Clostridia, tag-teaming with Pasteurella, a type of bacteria that can cause blood infections, are thought to be responsible. Together they may be weakening the saiga's immune system and allowing both microbes to thrive.

dead saiga antelope sergei khomenko fao 2
Sergei Khomenko/FAO

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Mothers and their calves seem to be most susceptible. The baby saiga rely on mother's milk and may be getting sick through feeding on it.

dead saiga antelope sergei khomenko fao_1
Sergei Khomenko/FAO

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Of the 257,000 animals counted in 2014, less than half are thought to be alive today. "This loss is a huge blow for saiga conservation in Kazakhstan and in the world, given that 90% of the global saiga population is found in our country. It is very painful to witness this," said Erlan Nysynbaev of Kazahkstan's Ministry of Agriculture in a May 2015 press release.

dead saiga antelope reuters
Reuters

Sources: Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Live Science

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Without identifying the root cause — and a solution — the fate of wild saiga is uncertain.

newborn saiga antelope ptes
People's Trust for Endangered Species
Animals Photos
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