These are Saiga Antelope. They're known for buggy eyes and big snouts ... and for being one of the fastest-declining mammal species on Earth.
Or maybe they're relatively unknown outside of Russia. The Saiga Conservation Alliance aims to make these creatures the poster children of conservation efforts, before the animals are gone.
The alliance is offering 10-day eco-tours of Southern Russia to raise money for conservation of the species.
If you can't make it from Aug. 29-Sept. 7, they're also taking donations. Once you see these pictures, you're likely to want to contribute in some way. You've been warned.
Credit: Navinder Singh
Some background
A hundred years ago, about 1 million of these antelope migrated across the Russian and Central Asian grasslands.
In the last 20 years, their numbers have declined by more than 95 percent, according to the alliance, a group of scientists and conservationists.
The antelope are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. They've fallen prey to poachers, and are primarily hunted for their translucent amber horn, which is used in Southeast Asian countries for traditional Chinese medicine.
Credit: Navinder Singh
Grassroot efforts
The Saiga Conservation Alliance is working on "informed, efficient, incentive-driven conservation action which is built on local partnerships and delivers sustainable long-term solutions."
While Saiga is the target species, the alliance aims to conserve the steppe (grassland) ecosystem as a whole, for us and other animals.
Grassroots efforts to help the grasslands. Has a nice ring to it.
Credit: Nils Bunnefeld
Raising Hope
The eco-tours will help raise money for conservation AND provide a shot in the arm for local communities, hopefully making natural resources and preservation more valuable than the horns.
The tour was developed with Saga Voyages, a tour company in Russia.
The tour takes visitors to key alliance project sites and puts travelers in direct contact with people who live in the Republic of Kalmykia, the only official Tibetan Buddhist state in Europe, and the historic city of Astrakhan.
Courtesy Saga Voyages
How much
The 10-day eco-tour cost is about $1,600 U.S. Booking details are at this Saiga Alliance link.
What's the cost of doing nothing?
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