Tackling saiga horn consumption in Singapore: From consumer insights to intervention co‐design

The illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is a key driver of biodiversity loss, and reducing consumer demand is recognised as a critical step in addressing it. However, studies understanding the drivers of wildlife product consumption and identifying effective strategies to reduce it remain very limited.

Saiga antelope ( Saiga tatarica ), a Near‐Threatened species whose international trade is regulated, represents an important case study. Although substantial conservation efforts have helped recover populations from the brink of extinction, its horns continue to be widely consumed across Asia as an ingredient in traditional medicine.

This study investigated the motivations behind the demand for saiga horn products in Singapore, focussing on how demand has changed post‐COVID‐19 and identifying corresponding demand‐reduction pathways. We used an evidence‐based approach comprising focus group discussions (FGDs) and co‐design workshops with key consumers.

We found from the FGDs that demand for saiga horn products by Chinese Singaporeans has remained stable, despite openness to alternative biomedicines. Demand is driven by social interaction, low awareness of the conservation status of the saiga antelope and deep‐rooted cultural beliefs. An intergenerational effect on consumption behaviour and the legal status of saiga horn products also contributes to the demand for these products.

Through co‐design workshops, we constructed a demand‐reduction framework identifying entry points (i.e. controlling demand, promoting alternatives, altering social influence) and intervention forms (e.g. education, media) to reduce wildlife usage and foster long‐term behavioural shifts. Effective interventions would require combinations of public awareness campaigns and government support through regulatory measures.

This study reveals nuanced insights into sociocultural factors shaping consumer demand, enabling saiga conservationists to develop community‐based strategies to reduce consumption practices. It advances understanding of social norms, cultural values and health beliefs, thereby supporting policymakers in establishing more effective regulations for the sustainable consumption of wildlife‐derived products. The demand‐reduction framework developed in this study has broader applicability, informing conservation interventions and practices for the saiga antelope as well as other threatened species.