In the West Kazakhstan region, a meeting was held between the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan , Erlan Nysanbayev, and farmers and peasant farms of the region, during which the minister listened to numerous appeals about the catastrophic damage to agricultural lands caused by saigas.
Farmers in the West Kazakhstan region are sounding the alarm: fields are being destroyed, livestock is losing pastures, and the threateningly growing saiga population could paralyze agricultural activity. According to farmers, this is no longer just a natural factor – it is a systemic crisis. In some areas, damage from trampling of crops and pastures amounts to hundreds of millions of tenge. Farmers are losing investments, feed, livestock, and the ability to ensure food security for the region.
The head of the Zhebe farm, Kairat Zulkashev, noted: “We lose our harvest every season and suffer enormous losses . This is not just a question of animals – it is a question of food security , the survival of small farmers and a threat to stability . If measures are not taken, we will lose entire farms .”
Director of ECO Club LLP Bekzhan Sabanov emphasized that it is no longer possible to postpone the decision: “The number of individuals has reached such a level that it is already a threat to agriculture . Populations are regulated all over the world to avoid conflict between wildlife and economic activity. For example, in Australia, the number of kangaroos is controlled. We do not need a discussion – we need specific measures .”
Doctor of Biological Sciences, Vice-Rector of ZKATU named after Zhangir Khan Alzhan Shamshidin voiced his scientific position. He noted that the situation requires intervention based on scientific data: “We are recording an excess of numbers, and at such densities both animals and people suffer . Regulation of numbers is a scientifically sound tool used in civilized countries. This is not a reduction of the species, this is management of the ecosystem for its own sustainability .”
According to the 2025 census, the number of saigas in Kazakhstan reached 3.9 million individuals. This is almost three times higher than the historical maximum recorded in 1974 (1.2 million). In the West Kazakhstan region alone, the number exceeds 2.3 million individuals.
Following the discussion, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Erlan Nysanbayev announced the decision taken to regulate the number of saigas . It is based on the bio-substantiation prepared by scientists from the Institute of Zoology of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as on the analysis of the international experience of Australia, Finland, Canada, the USA, South Africa and others in the field of sustainable management of wild animal populations.
“Based on scientific findings, proposals from farmers and the practice of regulating individual species used around the world, a decision has been made to regulate the number of saigas,” the minister emphasized.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources will conduct selective regulation of animals using the forces and means of the State Enterprise “PO Okhotzooprom”. The selection of individuals will be based on scientific justification in accordance with international environmental agreements.
The akimats of the affected regions , together with the ministries of agriculture and ecology, will ensure epizootic monitoring, the readiness of collection and processing points , and additional measures in compliance with all veterinary, sanitary and other requirements in strict accordance with environmental legislation .
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/ecogeo/press/news/details/1026157?lang=ru
Machine Translated by Google