Cambridge IELTS 21 – Test 3, Passage 1: Saving the Saiga Solutions

The saiga — an ancient antelope species distinctive for its unique, bulbous nose — once roamed in millions across the vast steppes of Central Asia. However, the species’ survival history has been a tragic one: from industrial-scale horn poaching after the collapse of the Soviet Union, to epidemics wiping out hundreds of thousands of individuals in just weeks, and the harsh impacts of climate change. The reading passage Saving the saiga (Cambridge IELTS 21 – Test 3, Passage 1) vividly portrays the cross-border conservation efforts and the miraculous resurgence of this endangered antelope species.

Falling under the theme of Biology, Ecology & Wildlife Conservation, Reading Passage 1 opens Test 3 with a clear, scientific narrative style. The test assesses candidates through two key question types: Note Completion and True/False/Not Given. If you’re looking for solutions to this reading passage, don’t miss this article from ECE Language Center.

Reading Passage Content

Saving the saiga

[Paragraph 1] The saiga, a species of antelope native to Central Asia, once roamed the vast grasslands of this region in enormous herds, many millions strong. Regrettably, such spectacular sights are a thing of the past. Today, the saiga is largely confined to a single country: Kazakhstan. This country is estimated to be home to well over 90% of the global saiga population, with Russia, Mongolia and Uzbekistan accounting for the rest.

[Paragraph 2] The saiga is perfectly adapted to the tough conditions of the remote wilderness of the steppes of Central Asia. One such adaptation is its bizarre bulbous nose, which enables the animal to survive the extreme seasonal temperature swings of the region. The swollen nostrils of the nose serve several purposes: they filter out dust and cool the blood during hot, dry summers, and they warm the cold air before it enters the saiga’s lungs in winter. Other seasonal adaptations include a heavy winter coat that the saiga sheds when the weather warms up.

[Paragraph 3] Despite these superb adaptations to harsh conditions, the saiga has no defence against the threats posed by humans. It was almost driven to extinction by hunters in the 19th century. Legal protection ensured its survival for a while, and numbers steadily recovered throughout most of the 20th century. But the respite was only temporary. In the ten years following the break-up of the former Soviet Union in 1991, over 95% of the global population was lost – one of the fastest examples of species loss ever recorded for a mammal.

[Paragraph 4] The dramatic decline during this decade was due to illegal poaching on an industrial scale. Male saiga are a particular target, because their horns are highly prized by traditional medicine practitioners. Po