*Saiga horns are also known as ling yang (羚羊) and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Photo: Jonh Wendle

Thanks go out to  John Wendle and the National Geographic team from this lovely article. Read it here

John joined our colleagues at the ACBK this Spring on their yearly census of saigas in the Irgiz-Turgay nature reserve, in the heart of Kazakhstan. His report of what he saw and learnt there is a wonderful account of the threats facing saigas and the challenges the people on the groung face when trying to conserve this unique species.

John even created a short clip to accompany the article which takes you on a tour of  how scientists carry out their yearly cenus of the species, the challenges rangers face on the ground, and how we are using sniffer dogs to combat the illegal trade of saiga horns.. That, and the incredible scenery which accompanies the film make this well worth a watch. (6 minutes)

Thanks to John Wendle and National Geographic for this wonderful clip