Abstract
The article examines the impact of the growing population of the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) on the condition of pasture resources, the development of livestock farming, and the economic sustainability of rural areas in Kazakhstan. The dynamics of saiga populations for the period 1981–2025 are analyzed across three main subpopulations: Ural, Betpak-Dala, and Ustyurt. Based on agroecological studies conducted in 2025 in the West Kazakhstan region, a significant decline in pasture productivity under the influence of wild ungulates was identified: green biomass yield decreased by 41.8%, and vegetation cover dropped from 70% to 40%. A deficit of pasture areas was found in three out of four key districts of the region. To ensure sustainable livestock development and saiga population conservation, it is necessary to implement a comprehensive human-wildlife conflict management system. This system includes regular monitoring of saiga numbers and migration activity, systematic agro-ecological assessment of pasture conditions, scientifically based regulation of grazing pressure, compensation programs for farms, and the creation of market-based mechanisms for funding conservation activities. An assessment of the economic consequences for the agricultural sector was carried out, and the need for implementing systemic measures to regulate the human-wildlife conflict was substantiated. It was revealed that, in the case of saiga, this conflict has multiple dimensions: competition for pasture resources, crop and forage land damage, the spread of diseases from wild ungulates to livestock (primarily foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, and pasteurellosis), and infrastructure damage. Practical recommendations are proposed for pasture monitoring, regulation of saiga migration, and support for farming enterprises.