GREEN WATCH

Kiang:  The Tibetan Wild Ass

Kiang is popularly known as the Tibetan Wild Ass. Wild ass is the nearest kin of modern horses. They are known to man from the historic past. Herodotus, and Xerses the great had the chariots drawn by wild asses. Wild ass is now an endangered animal. The range of the Khiang of Tibet (Equs hemionia khiang), in past had extended as far of north as Kononor in Tsinghai, and south to Ladkh, Nepal and Sikkim. Now its distribution is shrunken to the plateau of Tibet.

Wild asses exhibit two distinct varieties, the southern or onger, which is lighter in color, and the Kiang or central Asian, which is darker and redder, with a rather thick coat in winter. The Tibetan wild ass inhabits in dry or open country. It is a fine climber like the mule. Mostly it feeds on alpine grass and herbs and has a remarkable power for living on in little food.

The Disappearance of this Wild Ass species was reported in 1990. King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation Annapurna Conservation Area Project and Unit conservation Office Lo-Manthang conducted a joint study on the existence of Kiang in Mustang are in June 1998. In this study conducted two potential habitats for Kiang in Mustang was observed. One is Chhujung of Mustang district and the other was Damodar Kunda or Thechang valley, which is located in Surkhang VDC. These sites are recorded 4,800 m from the sea level.

The team spent two nights and collected various information about Kiang's habitat, number, and movement pattern in Chhujung area. According to nomad Mr. Soman Norbu Gurung he saw groups of Kiang in Salekhola, Itikhola and Yarchakhola watershed areas when he was in these area for daily herding practice. In November 1997, he had observed female Kiang with a foal. They were roaming in the surrounding area of Chujung monastery. Few days later a snow leopard killed the foal and the mother Kiang fell from the cliff and died. He added that he had seen more than 50 numbers of Kiang in three heards around the Lapchagawa area while he was in Tibet for trade in May 1998. Three years before Mr. Sonam had observed more than 100 Kiang in Pija ( Pija is pasture land for spring time specially form Phalgun to Baishak) area. According to him September is the best time to observe Kiang in Chhujung near Gunja ( Gunja is pasture land for nomad in winter specially Magshir to Magh). Another site called Kiangchuumi is the best site for Kiang observation and study which is located between Nepal and Tibet border.

Another nomad Mr. Mingmar Gurung had observed a dead Kiang in the watershed of Itikhola while he was following his herd in February 1998. The skull of Kiang was intact, one hind leg and some parts of the skin was found. From the specimen's observation the body appeared to be dark brown and the legs was white.

Based on the information given by the nomads there are huge numbers of Kiang roaming in Chhujung area when there is scarcity of grass in their normal habitat of Tibet. Nepal is observed as a safer place for Kiang since hunting is not allowed at Mustang and there is good vegetation for grazing. This is the result of conservation effort of Annapurna Conservation Area Project for wildlife conservation in Upper Mustang.

During the survey a solitary male Kiang was observed close to Tibetan border. A lot of fresh as well as old pallets including fresh foot- print have been found close to Damodar Kunda which is situated inside the Nepalese border.

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