Khulan - research

„Protected, but not loved"

With an estimated number of 20‘000 animals, Mongolia is the main retreat area fort he asian wild ass (Equus hemionus), the Khulan. Around 1’500 donkeys in herds of changing composition. Inspite of the quite big but decreasing number of Khulans there is few reliable data for the ecology and use of area.
Since 1953 the Khulan has been protected. Yet the growth of population and the harsh winters of the last years led to  increasing conflicts between the Khulans and the nomads.
• Human presence at the watering holes hampers the use of a life-sustaining resource for the Khulans.
• The Khulans are regarded as concurrents to the companion animals on the grazing lands.
• Massive loss of companion animals led some nomads to poach the Khulan for its meat.
Positions of the Khulans
Monitoring of the Khulan

• Where do the Khulans of the Great Gobi B spend the winter?
• Which watering holes are used to what extent and when?
• Is there an exchange between the different Khulan populations in Mongolia?

Since June 2002 7 Khulans in the nature reservation Great Gobi B have been equipped with Argos-satellite telemetric collars. Those animals used more than 6’000 km2 of the park and used all the watering holes. First tendencies show, that the Khulans are more likely to be found in the east of the Great Gobi B during summertime and autumn, whereas in winter they seem to prefer the hills in the west.