In the past few weeks, a strange and sudden saiga antelope die-off has occurred in Kazakhstan and it is causing alarm for scientists. The antelopes are already on the endangered list, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. More than 120,000 of the estimated 300,000 saiga antelopes that travel and live in the area have been found dead.
Groups Converge to Find Cause
Officials have called in a team of global scientists, including some from the World Organization for Animal Health, and the Saiga Conservation Alliance to help determine the cause of the massive saiga antelope die-off. They fear could wipe out the antelope in the area if a cause is not found and can be prevented. Kazakhstan is thought to be the place where at least 90 percent of the saiga antelope in the world live and travel. It is feared that if the antelope keep dying at the current rate that they could be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Respiratory Disease Could Be Cause of Saiga Antelope Die-Off
The saiga antelope is a distinctive species of antelope due to its oddly shaped nose and it horns that are shaped like a musical lyre. The sudden saiga antelope die-off is thought to possibly be due to some sort of respiratory disease, but this has not been confirmed by the team of scientists studying the problem. They are currently taking soil and water samples to determine if there is a problem there.
Suspected Respiratory Disease Can Also Affect Humans, Other Animals
According to the Agriculture Ministry veterinary office, the dead antelopes were discovered in three areas of the habitat the saiga antelopes usually congregate. The possible cause is a disease called pasteurellosis, which can also affect people, cattle, dogs, cats and rabbits.
It is caused by a naturally occurring bacteria in the respiratory tract, but somehow turns deadly when the immune system is affected by it. The same lung disease killed about 12,000 saiga antelopes in a saiga antelope die-off in 2010, and the disease is said to be extremely contagious.
Other Possible Causes Of Saiga Antelope Deaths
Another possibility is that the saiga antelopes were poisoned from rocket fuel that came from the Kazakhstan Baikonur spaceport launches, but this is only a slight theory as the animals were found in several other regions. The saiga antelopes have also been endangered by poachers because it is prized for its tasty and tender meat, as well as for its horns. This has also contributed to the animals getting placed on the endangered species list. The bottom line is that if this massive saiga antelope die-off continues, the species may soon be gone.
