Leonardo DiCaprio, a famous Hollywood actor and environmental activist, praised Kazakhstan for its efforts to save the saiga antelope, a critically endangered species that lives in the Central Asian steppes. In a post on his social media accounts, DiCaprio wrote:
«Congrats to the government of Kazakhstan, which invested heavily in anti-poaching initiatives, robust law enforcement, and the establishment of new protected areas. Their collaboration with conservation organizations, universities, and scientists is a prime example of true conservation success driven by collaborative efforts».
DiCaprio’s message came after the latest aerial survey of the saiga population in Kazakhstan, which showed a remarkable increase from 334,000 in 2018 to 1,900,000 in 2023. The saiga, known for its distinctive bulbous nose, suffered a massive die-off in 2015 due to a bacterial infection that killed more than half of the global population at the time. Since then, Kazakhstan has implemented various measures to protect the saiga from poaching and disease, such as establishing new ranger teams, satellite collaring, and expanding protected areas.
The saiga is considered a key species for the ecological balance of the steppe ecosystem and a symbol of Kazakhstan’s natural heritage.
