A large-scale nature protection campaign «Saiga» has started in Kazakhstan

On April 15, 2020, a large-scale environmental campaign «Saiga» was launched in Kazakhstan, which will last until May 15, 2020. Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, Minister of Internal Affairs and Chairman of the National Security Committee A joint order «On holding a nature protection campaign» Saiga «was signed. This order approved the composition of the Coordination Staff for the interaction of law enforcement and environmental agencies during the environmental campaign, as well as the joint action plan. 200 inspectors, 6 checkpoints, 64 high-capacity vehicles, 16 KUNGs, 5 motorcycles and unmanned aerial vehicles from several mobile groups were mobilized to organize anti-poaching raids during the campaign.The event was attended by inspectors of RSE «Ohotzooprom», territorial subdivisions of the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan and law enforcement officers Akmola, Aktobe, Atyrau, Zhambyl, West Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Mangistau, Pavlodar. and North Kazakhstan oblasts. The population of saigas in Kazakhstan is 334,400. The results of last year’s conservation measures show that the illegal demand for saiga horns is not decreasing. For example, in 2019, 47 cases of illegal shooting of saigas were revealed, 641 carcasses and 284 antlers were confiscated. 203 administrative protocols were filled out and 43 offenders were prosecuted. Damage to natural resources amounted to 3.3 billion tenge. Since the beginning of 2020, inspectors of the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan have identified 16 cases of poaching of saigas and confiscated 381 carcasses and 367 antlers. The amount of damage to natural resources amounted to 1.08 billion tenge.