In 2015, more than 200,000 saiga antelopes died in 3 weeks in central Kazakhstan. The proximate cause of death is confirmed as hemorrhagic septicemia caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida type B, based on multiple strands of evidence. Statistical modeling suggests that there was unusually high relative humidity and temperature in the days leading up to the mortality event; temperature and humidity anomalies were also observed in two previous similar events in the same region. The modeled influence of environmental covariates is consistent with known drivers of hemorrhagic septicemia. Given the saiga population's vulnerability to mass mortality and the likely exacerbation of climate-related and environmental stressors in the future, management of risks to population viability such as poaching and viral livestock disease is urgently needed, as well as robust ongoing veterinary surveillance. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to research mass mortality events under rapid environmental change.

中文翻译：

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濒临绝种的赛加羚羊：影响大规模死亡事件的因素的多学科分析。

2015年，哈萨克斯坦中部3周内有200,000多羚羊羚羊死亡。死亡的最接近原因被确认为多杀性巴斯德氏菌引起的出血性败血病类型B，基于多条证据。统计模型表明，导致死亡事件的几天中，相对湿度和温度异常高。在同一区域的前两次相似事件中也观察到温度和湿度异常。环境协变量的建模影响与出血性败血病的已知驱动因素一致。鉴于赛加羚羊种群易遭受大规模死亡，并且未来可能会加剧与气候有关的压力和环境应激源，因此迫切需要管理对种群生存力的风险，例如偷猎和病毒性牲畜疾病，并需要进行持续的兽医监控。需要一种多学科方法来研究在快速环境变化下的大规模死亡事件。