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Environmental education for the Saiga

NABU supports the endangered antelope

The Saiga is threatened by extinction.

You can download the English and Russian schoolbook below.

The Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica tatarica), an extraordinary species in Kazakhstan, is near being extinct. Intensive poaching following the breakdown of the Soviet Union caused a population collapse. In Kazakhstan, within a decade, the population decreased from more than 1.2 million to only 40.000 to 30.000 individuals – which means a decline of 97 percent.

Kazakhstan is the major distribution range: about 80 percent of the global population lives within the Central Asian country. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) classifies therefore the Saiga as critically endangered.

In order to raise conciseness of the Kazakh population for the critical state of the Saiga population, NABU centres on children and youngsters, the potential poachers of tomorrow.

Saiga schoolbook

School book of the Saiga

In cooperation with competent partners, NABU has developed a Saiga schoolbook. It is aimed at children at the age of 9 to13 years, living in communities close to the Saigas` habitat, to make them acquainted to the unique animal as well as its threatened status.

The book has been structured into two main parts: One for younger children, including legends and fairy tales about the Saiga as well as poetry, art and handicraft. The illustrations incorporate a Saiga cartoon character that follows the reader throughout the story. The second part of the book, aimed at schoolchildren aged at 12 to 13, provides facts about biology and ecology of the Saiga, threats, the need for conservation and actions that have already been undertaken in worldwide Saiga conservation. This part explicitly illustrates to children what action they best may take on a local level to save the Saiga and its habitat.

The book has been published in Russian and will also soon be available in Kazakh language.

Saiga animated cartoon

Cartoon about Saiga's dangerous life

A 15-min animated cartoon „Saga of the Saiga” has been jointly produced in order to connect scientists and artists for Saiga conservation. Animated cartoons are very popular in Kazakhstan and therefore a matching way to reach people at all ages for improvement of the Saiga’s image. The movie, which is currently available in Russian, will be shown at television as well as at environmental education programs.