The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, a collaboration involving a number of CCI’s partners, has won the Earthshot Prize 2024 for its remarkable work in restoring Kazakhstan’s steppe ecosystem and bringing the endangered Saiga Antelope back from the brink of extinction.

Established in 2005 as a long-term partnership between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology & Natural Resources, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), RSPB, Fauna & Flora, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has achieved remarkable success in restoring Saiga populations from fewer than 40,000 to over 2.8 million.

The initiative also supports other key species, including the Steppe Eagle, Sociable Lapwing, and Kulan, and has reintroduced Przewalski’s Horse to the region after a 200-year absence.

Beyond nature recovery, the project has created rural employment opportunities and inspired conservation efforts across Kazakhstan. With the £1 million Earthshot Prize, Altyn Dala will strengthen climate resilience in the steppe, expand anti-poaching measures, and support future generations of conservationists.

For further information, please visit our partner RSPB’s website or watch this feature video from The Earthshot Prize.

Re-introducing Przewalski’s Horses to Kazakhstan’s ecosystem © Jan Mengr