Kazakhstan cracks down on saiga poaching with new tracking system by 2026
Kazakhstan is set to introduce a new system to regulate and monitor the sale of saiga derivatives, aiming to combat illegal poaching and meet international conservation obligations. The move comes despite a ban on commercial turnover of wild animals and their parts without proper permission in the country.
The new system, to be launched as a pilot project in March 2023 and made mandatory in 2026, involves marking saiga derivatives to establish their origin, control legal stocks, and reduce poaching. This initiative aligns with Kazakhstan's commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which prohibits commercial use of wild-sourced saiga horns since 2019.
Currently, Kazakhstan has a zero export quota for saiga derivatives due to CITES regulations. However, the country is not opposed to selling saiga horns abroad, provided there's a system for registering and accounting legally obtained horns for export. The marked saiga derivatives will be legally saleable, with funds going towards population protection, habitat preservation, and scientific research.
Kazakhstan has taken steps to facilitate saiga meat sales and ensure horn circulation transparency, including a meeting with trading networks and markets in June. If Kazakhstan obtains permission for saiga horn export, the main recipients are expected to be China and Southeast Asian countries, primarily for health sector use. The state does not regulate the prices of saiga meat and horns, leaving the market to determine their cost.
