Zebo Isakova is Project Manager at Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA). She works with our Conservation Partner Elena Bykova. Here Zebo describes their Saiga Day celebrations last year, when Nida Al-Fulaij, CEO, visited their project, highlighting their successful engagement with the local community and the positive impact of their conservation efforts.
SOS – Save Our Saiga: A day of conservation awareness and activities
In the heart of Karakalpakstan, a region transformed by the desiccation of the Aral Sea, saiga antelopes – a Critically Endangered species that once roamed the steppes alongside mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers – find a glimmer of hope. Every year in May the Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA), in collaboration with local schools and conservation bodies, hosts an eco-festival event at schools in Muynak, a town symbolically significant for its environmental challenges and resilience.
On 12 May 2023, the picturesque settings of the Ak Keme children’s camp in the Muynak District of Karakalpakstan, served as the vibrant backdrop for this year’s Saiga Day, under the theme SOS – Save Our Saiga. This event was not only a celebration but a powerful platform for community engagement and education about Critically Endangered saiga antelopes. Organized by SCA as part of the Resurrection Island: enterprise conservation and development around the Aral Sea project, the day was a testament to the strength of conservation efforts that involve and empower local communities.
Engaging future generations
The festival welcomed over 120 participants, including students and teachers from four local schools in the Kungrad and Muynak districts, demonstrating the broad reach and inclusive nature of this initiative. High-profile guests and speakers, such as Nida and Elena, shared insights and highlighted the ecological importance of saigas, which significantly enrich the region’s biodiversity.
Saiga Day involved a series of educational competitions and interactive activities designed to inform and inspire the young participants about wildlife conservation. Before the main event, an online contest called Engaging Lesson – SOS Saiga challenged local teachers to develop informative and captivating lessons related to saiga conservation, which were then shared during the festival.
In the afternoon the children had various physical races and challenges including the caterpillar walk, which emphasized teamwork and strategy in protecting saigas from poachers, a water relay, highlighting the importance of water conservation in the Aral Sea for animals such as saiga and a bicycle relay race, a fun and engaging activity collecting letters to spell the phrase Saiga 2023.
The children also acted out an eco-theatre play called Sussambil: Let’s Create It Together, illustrating the community’s role in ecosystem restoration and saiga conservation.
Voices from the conservation front
Nida stressed the educational impact of such events noting that, ‘These activities not only prepare the young to protect nature but also instill moral values regarding environmental respect, which we hope will lead to an increase in saiga numbers through enhanced community involvement‘.
Elena reflected on the importance of saiga to the local environment pointing out that ‘saigas have historically been central to the wellbeing of the ecosystem here, providing necessary resources for people’s livelihoods. Today, their conservation is equally vital as it brings together the community to safeguard and improve our shared natural heritage.’
A commitment renewed
The British Government, through the Darwin Initiative, has committed over $500,000 to support the Resurrection Island project, which aims to transform the Aral Sea and surrounding areas into a conservation zone. This funding is pivotal in bolstering efforts to preserve the unique biodiversity of the region, including saiga antelope, while also providing sustainable development opportunities for the local population.
Join us in making a difference
As we look to the future, the lessons from Saiga Day are clear: engaging young minds and the wider community through educational initiatives and interactive participation is crucial for the long-term success of conservation efforts. Events like Saiga Day not only highlight the plight of endangered species but also demonstrate the positive impacts of community involvement in conservation initiatives.
We invite educators, conservationists, and community leaders worldwide to join us in our efforts. Whether through direct participation in our projects or supportive actions from afar, every effort contributes to our goals of biodiversity preservation and sustainable community development. For more information on how you can help, please visit Saiga Conservation Alliance.
Let’s continue to inspire, educate, and engage communities for the conservation of saiga and the vast steppes they inhabit. Together, we can ensure these unique landscapes and their iconic wildlife persist for generations to come.
Find out more about our Conservation Partners and the work they’re doing to save critically endangered saiga antelopes:
Header image credit Vladimir Sevrinovsky, Shutterstock.com