Asiatic Wild Ass…….Equus hemionus khur
BEST SEEN AT: Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann, Gujarat
STATUS: Schedule I/Endangered
GOOD TO KNOW: It can run at speeds upto 35 miles per hour
STATUS: Schedule I/Endangered
GOOD TO KNOW: It can run at speeds upto 35 miles per hour
THE RANN is a corruption of the word aranya or the waste. Yet the austere, saline wilderness of the Little Rann is anything but. It is also host to some unique, endemic wildlife one of which is the Asiatic wild ass. Amongst the last true wild asses of the world, this one is a handsome animal, standing tall with a white-chestnut coat and mane. Its a territorial creature the dominant males chart their territory and usually form small seasonal harems, which are zealously protected from other males. The Khur, as it is also known, was formerly widespread in the arid zone of northwestern India and Pakistan, and westwards through much of central Asia, but now is restricted to the Little Rann. Less than 3,000 wild assess remain, and they face an increasing threat from human activities primarily salt production (this region produces over a fourth of the country’s salt). This has led to loss of habitat, hindered movement and increased disturbance. There is also growing pressure from livestock grazing and increasing conflict as the asses stray into expanding agriculture fields.
PRERNA SINGH BINDRA
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 6, Issue 28, Dated July 18, 2009
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 6, Issue 28, Dated July 18, 2009