News about the critically endangered Saiga antelope species made headlines, when roughly half of the world’s population died in Kazakhstan earlier this year. The mass die-off claimed the lives of 60,000 of these deer-like animals in just four days; by June, the total rose to roughly 130,000.
SAIGA ANTELOPE
According to The Examiner, die-offs do occasionally occur in nature, but the severity of this particular incident is extremely rare.
‘I have worked in veterinary diseases all my career and I have never seen 100 per cent mortality,” stated Professor Richard Kock, who was part of the investigative team that went to Kazakhstan.
Since June, horrified scientists and conservationists have examined the event in further detail. A group of researchers were already positioned at the location, allowing them to analyze the behavior of the antelope and gather samples of water, soil and vegetation. Furthermore, necropsies of the animals were conducted, according to NBC News.
WHAT CAUSED THE SAIGA ANTELOPE TO DIE OFF?
Females of the herd, along with their young, seemed to be more devastatingly impacted by the die-off, which suggests that the bacteria might have been transmitted via mother’s milk. Toxins related to Pasteurella and Clostridia bacteria, which can cause internal bleeding, were also found in the necropsies.
Strangely enough, these bacteria are not foreign to the species and they do not usually cause harm unless the animals have weakened immune systems to begin with. Even if the bacteria are to blame, the rate of this particular incident is still inexplicable.
Steffen Zuther, a geoecologist and coordinator of the Atlyn Dala Conservation Initiative, told Live Science:
‘It’s really unheard of. The question is why it developed so rapidly and spread to all the animals.’
For now, scientists believe that a bitter cold winter and a damp spring might have created the ideal environment for bacteria to multiply and spread. However, just like in the case of the toxins, these weather conditions are not particularly uncommon either. As such, scientists and conservationists are continuing to investigate the deaths until a convincing conclusion is reached.
