#semi-desert

The Altyn Dala Initiative spans a vast area of Kazakhstan. A key focus is the re-establishment of a fully functional ecosystem of the steppe, semi-desert, and desert across the historical range of the saiga antelope. The saiga was counted in the millions in the recent past, but by 2006 numbers had plummeted to just 50,000. The disappearance of this species has endangered the whole ecosystem as the saiga provided food for predators, fertilised the soil with its faeces, reduced the risk of fires by keeping the vegetation at bay and was a valuable source of meat for local populations. In just a few years, the initiative’s multifaceted approach – which has included creating protected areas, establishing anti-poaching protocols and working with local populations, has brought the saiga population back up to more than 1.3 million.