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Mongolia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has officially designated October 25 as Khulan Conservation Day following an initiative by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Mongolia, a statement by the organization noted.
“The day will be celebrated every year on October 25, aiming to spotlight the Khulan as a keystone species in the Gobi-Steppe ecosystem, its critical role in maintaining ecological integrity and biodiversity,” it added.
The Khulan or Mongolian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus hemionus) is a member of the Equidae family which consists of horses, donkeys and zebras. India is home to two cousins of the Khulan: The Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass (Equus kiang) and the Ghudkhur or Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur).
Khulan roam over large areas of the Eurasian Steppe and the Gobi Desert annually in search of food and nourishment. According to Sarah King, co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature/Species Survival Commission Equid Specialist Group, the movements of Khulan are among the largest documented for terrestrial mammals on earth.
Mongolia is home to more 80 per cent of the global Khulan population. Which is why a recent natural disaster has raised concerns regarding this unique species.
Between November 2023 and April 2024, Mongolia was struck by a dzud. “A dzud is an extreme weather event with temperatures dropping to -30°C or lower, with strong winds, heavy snow and ice. This 2023-2024 winter has seen the highest snowfall recorded in the last 49 years. At its peak, 90% of the territory of Mongolia was covered with thick layers of snow,” the World Health Organization noted.
The extreme weather caused the deaths of millions of livestock.
“Official estimates indicate that about 7.9 million heads of livestock perished due to the 2023/24 Dzud, with the highest losses occurring in Sukhbaatar, Khentii, Arkhangai, Tuv and Dornogovi provinces (locally known as aimags) located in the eastern and central parts of the country. The death toll accounts for 12.3 percent of the national herd…” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
According to WCS Mongolia, while the full extent of the dzud on Mongolia’s wildlife is still being assessed, the reasons that caused the die-offs of livestock could be true in the case of wildlife like Khulan as well.
“While data on dzud specific to wild ungulate populations is limited, we cannot overlook the parallels. The challenges arising from limited availability and accessibility to resources, caused by prolonged snowstorms during the dzud, closely resemble those faced by livestock. These conditions can lead to starvation, decreased reproductive success, and increased susceptibility to disease and predation,” the organization notes on its portal.
It adds: “The Khulan, with its dependence on grazing, is particularly vulnerable. These hardy creatures have adapted to Mongolia's harsh climate, but dzud’s severity can push them beyond their limits.”
One hopes that the Khulan of Mongolia recover from the dzud and go back to galloping on the vast plains of the country again.