Central Asia is a complex and interesting region where many faiths celebrate many different holidays and observe many different calendars. For the minority of orthodox Christian’s Christmas is celebrated on Jan 7th. So in light of this, Merry Christmas!
As we enter 2026 we look to the future. 2026 is a very significant year for SCA and we celebrated our 20th Anniversary.
For twenty years, the Saiga Conservation Alliance and the Wildlife Conservation Network have worked side by side to protect one of the world’s most extraordinary and endangered mammals. Together, we have helped the saiga antelope step back from the edge of extinction and begin a remarkable recovery across the Eurasian steppe.
When this work began, saiga numbers were in freefall. Poaching was widespread, habitats were fragmenting, and political and economic uncertainty made conservation fragile. Today, the picture is strikingly different. Global saiga numbers now exceed three million, driven largely by recovery in Kazakhstan. Stronger laws, courageous rangers, growing political stability, and long-term partnerships have reduced poaching and helped secure critical calving grounds, migration corridors, and protected areas.
Over two decades, we have stayed committed through population crashes, disease outbreaks, pandemics, political upheaval, and global recessions. That persistence has paid off. The saiga’s IUCN Red List status now reflects one of the most significant conservation success stories of recent decades, and the species is being used as a case study for the Green List, with an estimated 30 percent recovery score. This progress shows what is possible when science, local leadership, and sustained donor support come together.
As we approach SCA’s 20th anniversary in 2026, we are proud of what has been achieved, but clear-eyed about what lies ahead. Saiga conservation demands both continuity and change. We must protect the gains made in Kazakhstan while expanding recovery across the species’ full historic range. With you as our partner, we are preparing for the next chapter.
In the coming years, SCA will develop clear goals aligned with global initiatives such as 30×30 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, using the saiga as a keystone species and promoting nature-based solutions that benefit wildlife and people alike. We will build a new long-term strategy based on success in Kazakhstan and extend this approach to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, and, when circumstances allow, Russia.
We will grow our advisory board, mentor a new generation of conservation leaders in both range and consumer states, and work closely with local partners in Uzbekistan to help them establish strong, independent national NGOs. At the same time, we will continue tackling disease risks, reducing illegal trade in saiga horn and meat, and renewing demand-reduction campaigns for traditional medicine markets in Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Japan.
The challenges are real. Geopolitical instability, new roads and railways, expanding extractive industries, food insecurity, and debate over population control all place pressure on saiga and the people who live alongside them. Yet the opportunities are equally powerful. Translocations, new protected zones, community-based conservation, green jobs, wildlife tourism, and cross-border cooperation can reshape the future of the steppe.
Twenty years ago, saiga were close to disappearing. Today, they once again run wild across vast landscapes. With your support, the next twenty years can secure this recovery across all saiga range and consumer states, creating resilience for wildlife, people, and nature alike.