An article in the Independent newspaper published on 31 January has higlighted saiga antelopes as one of the world’s rare-but-ugly species that need greater attention from conservationists, the public and media alike.
Jonathan Baillie of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said of the saiga: “I would put this in the unusual, almost cute category. You’re not repulsed when you look at it. You think more of Star Wars.”
The interview with Baillie follows ZSL’s recently developed EDGE list, which ranks species according to not only how endangered they are, but also how distinctive. The saiga antelope comes 62 on the list.
To read the full article in the Independent – “Don’t Call Them Ugly: The Not-So-Cute Critters That Are Facing Extinction”, click here.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/dont-call-them-ugly-the-notsocute-critters-that-are-facing-extinction-776060.html
To read information about the saiga on ZSL’s EDGE site, click here. http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=62