The future of Saigas

[Westcoastperson]

That's the point.
The climate in San Diego is a mediterranean-type climate, it's much warmer than the climates of the cold steppes of Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan or Mongolia where the winters are very harsh.
If the Saigas could thrive in San Diego, it would be the same in other places where the climate is mediterranean or arid : I take in account the SW United States, Southern Europe and maybe even the Middle East, for example.

It would have also been possible to keep them in countries like the plains of South-central Canada or North-western United States (as it's the case for the Pronghorn, sometimes compared to the Saiga for its behaviour and ecological requirements).

Sorry maybe I was to vague when I said vague which is why I said it doesn’t just have to be the right temperature. Saigas have more diverse climate necessities. One major issue is dryness another is temperature. Some of these issues animals can be more flexible like cold hardy tropical species. You are correct Saigas are warm and cold tolerant because of the climate of the steppe. What they aren’t tolerant to is moisture, too high moisture causes disease which is what I was alluding to when I say changes in the climate. Luckily San Diego has very similar desert climate allowing for (some) Saiga success. Some of the examples mentioned earlier like the North West would not work because of their rainy climate.

 

[Great Argus]

The climate in San Diego is a mediterranean-type climate, it's much warmer than the climates of the cold steppes of Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan or Mongolia where the winters are very harsh.
If the Saigas could thrive in San Diego, it would be the same in other places where the climate is mediterranean or arid : I take in account the SW United States, Southern Europe and maybe even the Middle East, for example.

I don't know if I'd call the Saigas thriving at San Diego, given the population is long gone. As has been stated while they may breed well they end up dying off just as fast.

 

[Kakapo]

But an interesting point to consider is - in San Diego, adults had a survival rate enough high to reach sexual maturity and breed. So they don't die inmediately. I think that if captive saigas in ex-situ facilities with similar climate to the origin area (dry and cold) were vaccinated against respiratory diseases, they could thrive as well as any other zoo animal?

 

[Great Argus]

But an interesting point to consider is - in San Diego, adults had a survival rate enough high to reach sexual maturity and breed. So they don't die inmediately. I think that if captive saigas in ex-situ facilities with similar climate to the origin area (dry and cold) were vaccinated against respiratory diseases, they could thrive as well as any other zoo animal?

It might work if the right sites were found - though the main difficulty would still be sourcing stock, especially now.