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Mongolia is the only home for the Gobi bear, also known as Mazaalai which was defined as critically endangered – regional and international D classification of endangered animals by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species in 2007. It indicates that the Mazaalai not only needs to be protected nationwide, but also internationally.
Gobi bears are small compared to most other members of the brown bear family. Female adults weigh only 51‐78 kg and males only 96‐138 kg. Their fur is light brown in color, but with a noticeably darker head, belly and legs. Patches or natural collars of lighter fur is often present on the neck or shoulder of individuals are also a distinguishing characteristic.
According to the study conducted in 2010, it is estimated that a minimum of 22‐31 Gobi bears remain in the wild, including at least 8 females and 14 males, based on genetic fingerprinting of hair collected near feeding sites at springs within the area. However, the population fluctuates each year due to the harsh climate and shortage of food and water. They mainly eat roots, berries, and other plants, sometimes rodents and they migrate to other places to look for food. This eventually leads to their drifting apart from each other and stalling their reproduction.
Moreover, rangers of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area reported that the area experienced a 14‐year drought from 1993‐2007, in which annual precipitation declined from approximately 100 mm to 50 mm. Because Gobi bears are heavily dependent upon vegetation that requires precipitation for growth and fruiting, the drought may have affected body condition and reproductive success of bears during this period.
This year, three Gobi bear babies are registered born in Mongolia. Past summer the automatic cameras installed in the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area caught two female bears with one with her baby twins. Thus the population of the world's rarest bear locally know the Mazaalai is observed increasing.
Even, the government has taken a large number of measures to save the Mazaalai, it is still out of public and private attention.
Mongolia is the only home for the Gobi bear, also known as Mazaalai which was defined as critically endangered – regional and international D classification of endangered animals by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species in 2007. It indicates that the Mazaalai not only needs to be protected nationwide, but also internationally.
Gobi bears are small compared to most other members of the brown bear family. Female adults weigh only 51‐78 kg and males only 96‐138 kg. Their fur is light brown in color, but with a noticeably darker head, belly and legs. Patches or natural collars of lighter fur is often present on the neck or shoulder of individuals are also a distinguishing characteristic.
According to the study conducted in 2010, it is estimated that a minimum of 22‐31 Gobi bears remain in the wild, including at least 8 females and 14 males, based on genetic fingerprinting of hair collected near feeding sites at springs within the area. However, the population fluctuates each year due to the harsh climate and shortage of food and water. They mainly eat roots, berries, and other plants, sometimes rodents and they migrate to other places to look for food. This eventually leads to their drifting apart from each other and stalling their reproduction.
Moreover, rangers of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area reported that the area experienced a 14‐year drought from 1993‐2007, in which annual precipitation declined from approximately 100 mm to 50 mm. Because Gobi bears are heavily dependent upon vegetation that requires precipitation for growth and fruiting, the drought may have affected body condition and reproductive success of bears during this period.
This year, three Gobi bear babies are registered born in Mongolia. Past summer the automatic cameras installed in the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area caught two female bears with one with her baby twins. Thus the population of the world's rarest bear locally know the Mazaalai is observed increasing.
Even, the government has taken a large number of measures to save the Mazaalai, it is still out of public and private attention.