Бидний тухай
Багш ажилтан
In the 19th century, N. M. Przhewalski brought wild horse (Takhi) skin and skull from the Dzungarian Gobi in southwest Mongolia to I. S. Polyakov, he researched and determined that it was indeed a new species of wild horse and named it Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii). In the 1969s, the Przewalskii horses was extinct in the wild and was reintroduced into their original habitat in Mongolia during the 1990s. The reintroduction of Przewalski’s horses into their native habitat in Mongolia presented unique challenges and opportunities for both conservation and the management of diseases. The main diseases affecting Przewalski’s horses are piroplasmosis, gastrointestinal parasites such as Strongyles, Anoplocephala perfoliata, Parascaris equorum, Gastrophilus. According to our research conducted in Khustai Natural Park in 2014-2020, one of the main causes of Przewalski’s horses’ deaths is piroplasmosis, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, which accounts for 13.3-53.8 percent of all deaths. Another mortality reason of wild horses are injuries and wolf attacks. Although Przewalski’s horses are not typically preyed upon by wolves in their reintroduced habitats, young or weak individuals are vulnerable to wolves. In recent years, due to droughts and dzud (heavy snowfall) resulted from climate change, as well as the increase in the number of herds and wild animals in the region leading to decrease in grazing in the region where they are introduced, the lack of fodder in pastures is the reason for the decrease in the number of Przewalski’s Horse. Understanding the relationship between these reintroduced Przewalski’s Horse, other wildlife, and domestic animals is crucial for their successful integration and long-term survival.
The Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalski), also called takhi in Mongolian, was previously classified as “Extinct in the wild (EW)” by the IUCN Red List. Through successful reintroduction programs at various sites, including Mongolia (since 1992) and China (since 2001), the status for Przewalski’s horse was revised to “Critically Endangered (CR)” in 1996 and then species is reclassified to Endangered (EN) in 2014. Most free-ranging mature individuals in the wild are found in Hustai National Park (HNP), Mongolia. This suggests that HNP is a critical conservation location for Przewalski’s horse and effective conservation management is a key requirement for the long-term survival of this population. Understanding the movements and habitat selection of takhi in HNP is needed in order to identify priority areas for conservation, improve habitat connectivity, and inform effective conservation management. In this study, we aimed to better understand seasonal movements and habitat selection of takhi. We used GPS tracking data of 20 female takhis across distinct harem groups collared in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Monitoring periods ranged from 251 to 1,046 days (mean 657 days) per individual, while the number recorded GPS locations ranged from 6,304 to 30,785 (mean = 20,645). For each individual, we quantified seasonal movement patterns and season-specific habitat selection of takhi, accounting for individual variability. Daily displacement varied with season, ranging from winter (3.65±2.04 km/day), spring (5.38±2.48 km/day), autumn (7.02±3.48 km/day), and summer (7.31±2.94 km/day). Habitat selection was substantially different across seasons. In summer time, takhi selected for mountain steppes at higher altitude, while they selected for river valleys at lower altitudes with higher protection from wind during winter time, favoring thermoregulation over potential forage. The seasonal differences in habitat selection and movement patterns displayed by takhi are critical for survival. Deepening our understanding of movement patterns and habitat selection of this species is fundamental for efficient management strategies and conservation success of this endangered species, as well as the potential selection of new re-introduction sites.
The Przewalski’s horse (PH, Equus przewalskii) is the world’s last and only remaining wild horse species that was first discovered in science in 1881 based on a skull found in Mongolia. Between 1898 and 1903, 88 foals from the Mongolian Gobi were captured, with 53 successfully transported to Europe. However, only 13 of these foals had descendants, causing the extinction of the last wild population in the wild in 1969. Yet, after two decades, eight different sites across four countries began reintroducing them to preserve the only remaining wild horse. The Hustai National Park (HNP) in Mongolia is one of the primary reintroduction sites. Between 1992 and 2000, 24 stallions and 60 mares were transported in five occasions. Seventy-six (90%) of them spent two years in six different electrocuted acclimatization enclosures before being released into nature under the name “soft release,” with a survival rate of 60-100%. Eight (10%) of them were immediately released into nature under the name “hard release,” with a survival rate of only 30%. The last harem was released into the wild in 2002, and since 2003, we have eliminated all acclimatization enclosures facilitating the species’ naturalization and conservation in the wild. At the moment, human intervention is highly limited; it can be considered a natural population. Since then, numerous encouraging outcomes are documented associated with the reintroduction and conservation of PH. First, the PH was listed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN until its successful reintroductions in 2008, which downgraded the status to ‚Critically Endangered and Endangered‘ in 2011. Second, resident wildlife species in this national park increased sharply under the conservation of umbrella species, with 50 red deer in 1992, 2,000 red deer in 2024, 7,000 marmots in 2003, and 14,000 marmots in 2018. Third, migratory wildlife species, such as 1,000-2,000 Mongolian gazelles and 100-200 Argali wild sheep, inhabited the park by themselves. Fourth, we attempted to develop community-based conservation by establishing more than 30 conservation communities and hiring over 70% of our staff from local herders, who actively participate in nature conservation. In essence, by conserving a single species, we managed to protect an entire ecosystem, along with establishing a community-based conservation program within the national park.
Amid global challenges like climate change, extinctions, and disease epidemics, science and society require nuanced, international solutions that are grounded in robust, interdisciplinary perspectives and datasets that span deep time. Natural history collections, from modern biological specimens to the archaeological and fossil records, are crucial tools for understanding cultural and biological processes that shape our modern world. At the same time, natural history collections in low and middle-income countries are at-risk and underresourced, imperiling efforts to build the infrastructure and scientific capacity necessary to tackle critical challenges. The case of Mongolia exemplifies the unique challenges of preserving natural history collections in a country with limited financial resources under the thumb of scientific colonialism. Specifically, the lack of biorepository infrastructure throughout Mongolia stymies efforts to study or respond to large-scale environmental changes of the modern era. Investment in museum capacity and training to develop locally-accessible collections that characterize natural communities over time and space must be a key priority for a future where understanding climate scenarios, predicting, and responding to zoonotic disease, making informed conservation choices, or adapting to agricultural challenges, will be all but impossible without relevant and accessible collections.
The human population exponentially increased with their basic requirements. Today, 75% of the land surface is significantly altered, 85% of the wetland has been lost, and 25% of species in assessed animal and plant groups are threatened (IPBES, 2019). To increase human wildlife co-existence, CMS, CITES, CCC, CBD, and SDG’s have provided international platforms to help achieve a sustainable future for all. Mongolia is a country that promised to protect 30% of the entire territory. There are 121 protected areas established, and these areas belong to 21% of the entire territory of Mongolia. Hustai National Park is a textbook example of human and wildlife coexistence. We have counted the wildlife since 1992 till today, every two weeks, and the results are mentioned below. First, the Przewalski’s horse (PH, Equus ferus przewalskii) reintroduction and effective nature conservation efforts have documented many positive results for human and wildlife co-existence, and the species survival missions is successful. The PH IUCN assessment was Extinct in the Wild, but as reintroduced horses increased, the status was downlisted to Critically Endangered in 2008, then to Endangered in 2011 (King et al., 2016). Second, resident species have increased, such as the red deer (Cervus elaphus), which increased from 50 to 2,000; marmots (Marmota sibirica), which increased from 7,000 to 14,000. Third, migratory species come to the park and show an increase in numbers, for example the Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) increased from zero to 2,000, while argali wild sheep (Ovis ammon) increased from zero to 200. Human-wildlife conflict and coexistence are differed by region, country, size, population density, industry, and culture. Mongolia is the 19th biggest country in the world with the least dense population. Presently, direct human-wildlife conflict is not a big issue in Mongolia, but soon high-numbered and overconcentrated livestock, mining, and infrastructure will cause big issues on the wildlife population.
We present the first comprehensive review of 62 migratory shorebird species in Mongolia, covering their ecological status, IUCN assessments at regional or national levels, population trends, threats, and conservation measures. Mongolia hosts a total of 62 shorebird species from twenty-two genera and seven families, with six species classified as globally threatened: the Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing, the Endangered Siberian Sand plover, the Far Eastern Curlew, the Great Knot, and the Vulnerable Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper. Both national and global IUCN Red List assessments highlight Mongolia’s significance as a breeding and passage migrating site for globally threatened and Near-Threatened shorebirds. Species richness is higher in northern regions compared to the south, with the highest diversity found in areas with complex aquatic ecosystems. Global population trends indicate a decline in 61% of species, with 18% remaining stable, 16% of unknown status, and 5% increasing. At the national level, most species are stable (61%), 34% status is unknown, and 5% are decreasing. Anthropogenic-induced threats, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disturbance, and harvesting, pose significant risks to 69% of species, while natural disasters affect 11%. Additionally, 8% of species are impacted by accidental mortality and intrinsic factors, and 5% by changes in native species. Despite these threats, no specific conservation action plans exist for shorebirds in Mongolia. However, general conservation measures are in place, such as environmental and fauna protection laws, regulations on foreign trade in endangered species, and the establishment of protected areas under governmental resolutions. Mongolia also participates in international conventions like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar, and Migratory Species (CMS), and has developed national red lists, red books, and publications such as “A Summary Conservation Action Plan for Mongolian Birds”, “Important Bird Areas” to support conservation efforts.
Монгол орны нугаламт амьтдын ангилал зүй, зүйлийн бүрдэл, тархалт, байршил, амьдрах орчны системтэй судалгааг 1860-аад оноос Оросын эрдэмтэд гүйцэтгэсэн ба 1942 онд МУИС байгуулагдсан үеэс хойш сээртний ангилал, зүйлийн бүрдлийг тогтоох ажлыг Монгол-Зөвлөлт, Монгол-Германы хамтарсан баг, улмаар үндэсний судлаачид гүйцэтгэж ирэв. Монгол орны сээртний ангилал зүй, филогенезид голчлон морфологи болон экологийн шинж чанар, шинж тэмдгийг илүүтэй ашиглаж байв. Сээртний ангилал, филогенезид сүүлийн үед уламжлалт морфологи (зүс, морфометрик хэмжээс) болон газар зүй, экологийн шалгуур (тархалт, үржлийн амьдрах орчны онцлог гэх мэт)-аас гадна нэмэлтээр генетик-молекул биологи (цус, эдийн дээж дээр тулгуурласан нуклеотидын дараалал тогтоох), зан төрх (үржлийн үеийн бүжиг, дууны онцлогийг сонограм ашиглан тайлбарлах), үржлийн үе, хугацааг тооцох зэрэг олон шалгуурыг ашиглан зүйлийн түвшинд тодорхойлох хандлагыг илүүтэй баримтлах болов. Энэ дагуу хийсэн судалгааны дүнд Ховд голын шивэр хадран (Thymallus arcticus) ба Монгол хадран (Thymallus brevirostris)-ы удам төрлийн холбоо (Knizhin et al., 2005; Книжин и др., 2008), Алтайн сугас (Oreoleuciscus spр.)-ны популяцийн генетик ялгаа (Слынько, Дгебуадзе, 2009), тулын популяцийн генетик олон янз байдал (Цэнд-Аюуш нар, 2023), хадрангийн төрөл (Thymallus, Linck, 1790)-ийн филогенетик холбоо, хувьслын ялгаа (Onolragchaa et al., 2024) зэрэг судалгааг амжилттай гүйцэтгэв. Мөн баруун говьд тархсан бах нь тетраплоид хромосомтой болохыг тогтоосноор Монгол оронд Певцовын бах (Bufotes pewzovi) тархсан болохыг баталгаажуулсан. Зүүн гарын могой гүрвэл (Eremias dzungarica) хэмээх нэгэн зүйл гүрвэл амьтны аймагт шинээр нэмэгдлээ. Монгол оронд тархсан хонин гүрвэлийн төрлийн ангилал зүй, удам төрлийн нарийвчилсан судалгааг энэ арга зүй, зарчмын дагуу үргэлжлэн хийгдэж байна. Шувууны хувьд Монгол жиргэмэл (Calandrella dukhunensis), дэрсний жиргэмэл (Alaudala cheleensis) болон говийн жиргэмэл (A.henei), эргийн хараацай (Riparia riparia) болон бүгээн хараацай (R.diluta), алтан хараацай (Hirundo rusitca), цармын бүргэд (Aquila chrysaetos) зэрэг шувууны ангилал зүй, гарал үүсэл, удам төрлийг мөн л дээр дурдсан олон шинжит ангилал зүйн зарчимд тулгуурлан амжилттай шийдвэрлэв. 28 ЭРДЭМ ШИНЖИЛГЭЭНИЙ АНХНЫ ХУРЛЫН 80 ЖИЛИЙН ОЙ Минж (Castor fiber)-ний популяциудын митохондрын филогеограф (Durka et al., 2005), aргаль (Ovis ammon)-ийн популяциудын хоорондoх генетик ялгаа (Feng et al., 2009), хүрэн баавгай (Ursus arctos)-н популяциудын хоорондох ялгаа, төсөө болон генийн урсгалын чиглэлээр, ялангуяа мазаалай баавгайн статус (Odbayar et al., 2019), хавтгай тэмээ (Camelus bactrianus)-ний ангилал зүйн статус, популяциудын генетик харьцуулалт (Ming et al., 2022), гар далавчтaн (Chiroptera)-ы молекул ангилал зүйн (Ariunbold et al., 2022) чиглэлтэй судалгааг амжилттай гүйцэтгэж, үр дүнд хүрлээ. Цаашид бид зүйлийн морфологид тулгуурласан ангилал зүйгээс молекул биологи, зан төрх, үржлийн биологи руу чиглэсэн судалгааг хөгжүүлэх, амьтан судлалын эрдэм шинжилгээний хурлыг үндэсний хэмжээнд 2 жилд, олон улсын хэмжээнд 3 жилд 1 удаа зохион байгуулах, амьтан судлалын эрдэм шинжилгээ, сургалтыг хослуулах болон сайн мэргэжилтэн бэлтгэх чиглэлээр оюутнуудад зориулсан амьтан судлалын үндэсний хэмжээний үйл ажиллагааг санаачлах, Монгол орны амьтны ангилал зүй, ховор тохиолдох зүйлийг бүртгэх зөвлөлийн ажлыг Биологийн олон янз байдлын конвенцын дэргэд байгуулах, эрчимжүүлэх, Монголын амьтан судлаачдын нэгдсэн холбоог байгуулах арга замаар амьтан судлаачид үзэл бодол, саналаа бодлогын түвшинд хүргэн нэгдсэн байдлаар илэрхийлэх зэрэг ажлуудыг хамтран хийх шаардлагатай байна.
Abstract The Mongolian gazelle Procapra gutturosa is a wild ungulate ubiquitous across the largest remaining temperate grasslands of Mongolia, Russia and China. The species is nomadic and ranges over long distances, resulting in widely fluctuating abundance in any given location. Therefore, a comprehensive and range-wide survey is required to accurately estimate its global population size, but challenges are posed by the expansive geographical distribution and the political boundaries across the species’ vast range. To obtain an estimate of the total population, we compiled data from recent range-wide surveys. During 2019–2020, we estimated the population size in Mongolia by conducting line transect distance surveys and total counts, and by deriving numerical predictions for unsurveyed areas through data analysis. The gazelle's population in Russia was surveyed in 2020 across its summer range using simultaneous counts, transect surveys and expert knowledge. The distance sampling surveys in Mongolia revealed that slightly more than half of the gazelles along the transects were detected. Our assessment of the gazelle population, although probably an underestimate, suggests there are c. 2.14 million individuals in Mongolia and c. 30,000 in Russia. These results confirm that the Mongolian gazelle is the most abundant nomadic ungulate in the open plains across its range. However, to obtain more accurate estimates across all range states and effectively monitor the gazelle's population status, it is essential to implement standardized survey protocols that correct for imperfect detection. At present, the management of the Mongolian gazelle is inadequate, as there is a lack of regular monitoring to identify any adverse population changes that could necessitate conservation interventions.
