The Mongolian saiga (Saiga borealis) faces a range of ecological challenges, not only within Mongolia but across its entire range in Central Asia.
The Fifth Meeting of Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Saiga Conservation, held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from March 12-14, 2025, brought together government representatives from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Mongolia—countries where the saiga is found. This important meeting, held under the framework of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), marked a significant moment for global saiga conservation.
Since the MOU was first established in 2006, it has provided a platform for countries to align their efforts, share knowledge, and agree on strategies to protect the saiga across its range. This March governments came together to develop a shared strategy for the species, ensuring coordinated action that can lead to real, measurable success.
Mongolia’s representatives, including Ts. Uranchimeg from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, supported by WCS Mongolia and WWF Mongolia, were active participants in these discussions. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the specific threats faced by Mongolia’s saiga population, which is a separate subspecies, found only in the western regions of Mongolia. This subspecies faces unique challenges, particularly due to its limited distribution and harsh environmental conditions.
Mongolia has made significant efforts in safeguarding its saiga population, a result of strong collaboration among government agencies, local communities, and conservation organizations. B. Buuveibaatar, WCS Mongolia’s Senior Scientist, presented at the meeting Mongolia’s collective progress in protecting the saiga subspecies in Mongolia.
According to a WWF-Mongolia survey completed in late October 2024, the Mongolian saiga population is estimated at 23,215 individuals. Key achievements contributing to this growth include the restoration and protection of natural springs, the establishment of a local Protected Area, and continued efforts to protect vital saiga habitat. Anti-poaching initiatives, such as SMART patrols, have been highly effective, with no recorded illegal hunting incidents in recent years.
Despite these successes, Mongolia's saiga population continues to face significant threats. Climate change has intensified extreme weather events like dzuds, which can lead to mass die-offs. Habitat degradation, largely due to increased livestock grazing, remains a concern, while infrastructure expansion is fragmenting migration routes. The risk of wildlife diseases highlights the need for early-warning systems and coordinated vaccination policies.
Illegal trade in saiga horns also remains a pressing issue. WCS Mongolia is leading research on the local dynamics of trade using innovative survey methods to inform more effective enforcement. Strengthening stockpile management, improving cross-border cooperation, and disrupting trafficking networks remain critical components of the international conservation agenda.
“The progress we’ve seen in Mongolia over the past few years, from increasing the saiga population to engaging local communities, is a testament to what’s possible when we work together,” said B. Buuveibaatar, WCS Mongolia’s Senior Scientist. “But we must remain vigilant, as the Mongolian subspecies remains vulnerable to a number of threats.”
Looking ahead, Mongolia’s government agreed to support actions included in the newly developed CMS MoU Work Programme for 2025-2030. These actions prioritize strengthening Mongolia’s protected area network to cover a larger portion of the saiga’s range, reinforcing small, isolated populations to support natural recovery, enhancing early-warning systems for disease outbreaks, and strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration.
Additionally, mitigating the impact of infrastructure projects on saiga migration routes, strengthening ranger capacity, establishing data-sharing platforms, and exploring population reinforcement options are crucial aspects of the strategy. At the close of the meeting, the CMS Secretariat proposed Mongolia as the host for the next Meeting of Signatories in 2030—a proposal warmly accepted by the Mongolian delegation and unanimously supported by all participating countries.
"The Fifth Meeting of Signatories has strengthened commitment to saiga conservation and outlined a clear roadmap. WCS Mongolia will continue collaborating with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, local communities, and partners to implement the agreed measures," said Justine Shanti Alexander, WCS Mongolia’s Country Director.
The upcoming 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from November 24 to December 5, 2025. This significant event will bring together range countries again to discuss and make decisions regarding international trade in saiga products, among other topics. The outcomes of CoP20 are expected to play a vital role in shaping global strategies for saiga conservation.