Mass deaths of saiga antelope in Kazakhstan caused by bacteria

Almost total decimation of Betpak-Dala's population of 200,000 saiga antelopes in 2015 caused by pathogen that led to hemorrhagic septicemia, say scientists

The mysterious mass deaths of about 200,000 saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan last year was caused by a bacterial infection.

As news emerged in May last year of the near-total decimation of the Betpak-Dala population of saiga antelope, there was plenty of speculation but few concrete answers as to what might have been responsible.