Moscow Zoo Breeding Facility

Wonderful species, are they breeding them?

Many thanks for your complete set of Moscow pictures, not a zoo we see a lot of here and deserves a thread of its own.

@kiang: You're welcome.

They are breeding, but the losses outweigh the gains...Long term prognosis for the husbandry of this species: rather doubtful, with Askania Nova as the sole exception.

Thanks for the very interesting Moscow pictures. What are the principle causes for the losses of saiga in captivity?

Principle causes? Saigas are nervous, easily started animals (like pronghorns) with a high tendancy to panic for any reason (may it be a wild fox, waterfowl noisily landing closeby, construction works, fireworks, a stuttering engine...take a pick) and then run blindly into obstacles (such as fences...), breaking leg & neck. Endoparasites have also been a problem in captivity, and the intraspecific (territorial) aggression of males and a pretty high infant mortality aren't helping the cause, either.

Thank you

What a delightful species. I am holding onto hope for the future of the species in captivity as well as worldwide.