The south Gobi

The study area for the Mongolian Wild Ass conservation project is located in the south and south-east Gobi: Umnugovi and Dornogovi aimags.

This area is an arid, cold desert with scarce surface of water, with an extreme continental climat : a desert very cold in winter (-40°C) and very hot in summer (+40°C). It is in the core of the Mongolian Khulan distribution range, and has been estimated to house about 70-80% of the Mongolian Wild Ass population living in Mongolia.

Almost all growth of vegetation and approximately two-thirds of total precipitation occur during the May to September period. On a general way, the cold and dry winter; the dry, cold and windy spring; and the fact that most precipitations occur between mid-June and the end of August, limit the potential productivity of Mongolian land resources. In the study area, the climate shows a gradient from west to east and north to south. Averal annual precipitation is more important in the south-east part of this area (with around 150mm) than in the north and west parts (with less than 100mm).

In the Gobi region, water is a critical resource for livestock, humans and wildlife, but is very rare and very scarce. The availability of water, mostly in the form of springs, lakes, seeks, is highly variable and depends on local rainfall patterns.

The study area is also a major base for pastoral livestock production. Major large domestic herbivores are sheep, goats, horses, cattle, camels and yacks.