Two Saiga Calves Born At Almaty Zoo

Two saiga calves have been born at Almaty Zoo, Orda.kz reports, citing the city culture department.

The calves were born to female saigas Stella and Aina. They are about one month old and stay close to their mothers.

Veterinarians are monitoring the newborns. Specialists have confirmed that the calves are healthy. For now, they feed only on their mothers’ milk, but later they will switch to plant food.

Visitors can already see the young saigas in the enclosure.

Saigas are one of the oldest animal species on the planet and lived through the Ice Age. Today, the species has special conservation status.

Earlier, Orda.kz reported that the growth of Kazakhstan’s wild saiga population, which had reached record levels in recent years, has begun to slow. Some animals did not survive the winter because of harsh weather and culling.

Original author: Eva Golovintseva

Read also:

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• Ministry Says Saiga Deaths Remain Within Natural Limits
• Kostanay Farmers Again Demand Permission to Shoot Saigas in the Fields