STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF SAIGA SKULL BONES

Abstract

This article discusses the skull structure of the Ural population of saigas. In 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed saigas on the Red List, and since 2002, they have been classified as endangered animals. To preserve saigas, the government of Kazakhstan has taken the following preventive measures: increased efforts to combat poaching, stricter legislation against illegal trade in saiga antlers, and the expansion and creation of new protected natural areas. The comprehensive measures taken in the Republic of Kazakhstan have led to an increase in the number of saiga antelopes to 3.2 million in 2025, compared to 21 thousand in 2003.

In this regard, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has raised the conservation status of the saiga antelope in the Red List by 3 categories, from "Critically Endangered" to "Near Threatened". Currently, 99.0% of the world's saiga antelopes are found in Kazakhstan. Saiga antelopes consume crops, trample pastures and hayfields, and restrict access to water bodies for domestic animals, leading to the removal of excess populations. After processing at meat processing plants, the carcasses of captured saiga animals are sold directly to the public, and some of the products are sold in markets.

In order to prevent the falsification of saiga carcasses, it is very important to know the anatomy of the animal's skull during forensic and veterinary examinations. Knowledge of the topographic anatomy of saiga is also crucial for veterinary doctors in rural areas. The purpose of this work is to conduct a morphological analysis of the skull structure. These studies are relevant because they are necessary for determining the species of animals.