Prince William Highlights Kazakhstan’s Saiga Comeback, Credits State Backing

Prince William used an appearance on The Graham Norton Show to call attention to a dramatic rebound in Kazakhstan’s saiga antelope numbers, saying the country’s authorities gave the project strong institutional support that helped drive recovery. On the Earthshot Prize-themed episode aired Oct. 23, a photograph of a saiga sat on the studio set as the prince spoke about the initiative that helped nurse the species back from the brink.

The recovery effort he discussed is led by the Altyn Dala conservation program, which picked up the 2024 Earthshot Prize and a £1 million award to expand restoration across Kazakhstan’s steppe. Organizers say the saiga population has climbed from roughly 40,000 animals two decades ago to more than 4 million today — an increase on the order of 100-to-1 — reversing losses caused by illegal hunting and outbreaks of disease.

Altyn Dala is a partnership that mixes government agencies, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan and international conservation groups. Its tactics include monitoring migration and protecting key calving and grazing areas to reduce human-wildlife conflict. And it has used the same coordinated approach to reintroduce Przewalski’s horses to parts of the country where they had long been absent.

“It’s a reminder that long-term, locally led conservation can work when authorities, scientists and communities act together,” said a Kazakh conservation scientist who has followed Altyn Dala’s work. Community engagement, she added, has been central — from patrolling against poachers to adjusting grazing practices so saiga can use traditional routes.

The Graham Norton episode also featured actors Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham and conservationist Robert Irwin. Separately, King Charles III sent a congratulatory message to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for Republic Day, praising bilateral ties and saying the U.K. wants to deepen cooperation, according to an Oct. 25 statement from the presidential palace. For many on the ground in Kazakhstan, the praise and prizes have boosted morale — though conservationists warn that continued vigilance will be needed to keep the saiga on the rebound.