A mysterious infection killing thousands of antelope may drive them to extinction

An increasingly rare species of antelope called the saiga may be roaming its last days in the wild.

Native to the grassy steppes of Kazakhstan and nearby regions, populations of the critically endangered species have suffered one catastrophic die-off after the next over the past 15 years.

About 60,000 of the creatures died in four days alone in May 2015, Tia Ghose of Live Science reports.

Conservationist and ecologist Steffen Zuther told Ghose that the speed, spread, and severity of the yet-unexplained killings "has not been observed for any other species," Zuther said. "It's really unheard of."

However, the recent deaths are only one event in the species' alarming, recent, and mysterious decline.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the majestic animals - and what might be causing their imminent extinction.