The saiga is a weird looking antelope, equipped with a large proboscis-like nose, that inhabits open semi-deserts in parts of Asia.

Meaning of scientific name
Saiga is the Russian name for antelope. Tatary is a part of eastern Russia, thus "tatarica" means belonging to Tatary.

Pronunciation of scientific name
SY-ga

Subspecies
Two subspecies: Russian and Mongolian.

Life span
6-10 years.

Statistics
Length: 108- 46cm, Weight: 21-51kg.

Physical description
The saiga has an unusual appearance, best described as looking like tall, slender sheep with a strange bulbous and tubular nose. Saigas have brownish fur which turns whiter and much thicker in winter. Males have horns which are ringed with prominent ridges.

Distribution
Saigas were found in North America during the ice age, but are now found only in Asia.

Habitat
Steppe grasslands and semi-deserts.

Diet
Saigas are herbivores and eat a very wide variety of herbs, shrubs, grasses and lichens.

Behaviour
Saigas are very gregarious animals, living for much of the year in large herds. They congregate in their thousands on the calving grounds in spring and through much of the year make nomadic migrations in search of food.

Reproduction
Mating takes place in December and the young are born around 139 days later on the calving grounds in late March and April. The majority of females have twins.

Conservation status
The Mongolian subspecies of saiga is considered endangered whilst the Russian subspecies is faring much better and is at lower risk.

Notes
The saiga’s large nose is an adaptation to both the winter cold and the dry conditions in which it lives. Large air sacs in the nose extract valuable moisture from exhaled air and also pre-warm cold air as it is breathed in. The long nose also helps to prevent airborne dust from being inhaled.

History
Saigas were close to extinction by 1919 but strict protective measures have helped the species to make a good recovery.

Closest relative
Saigas are a unique group of animals that are intermediate between sheep and antelopes.