Not charismatic but crucial: Why the Khulan matters to Mongolia’s steppes?

In the vast open landscapes of Mongolia’s Gobi-Steppe, one species stands out not just for its endurance and mobility but for the outsized role it plays in shaping the ecosystem around it: the Mongolian wild ass, or khulan (Equus hemionus hemionus).

The khulan can be recognized as both a keystone species — whose presence and behaviour have a disproportionately large effect on the ecosystem — and an umbrella species, meaning that by protecting it, we inherently protect many other species and the large landscapes they share. This species can also be recognized as a flagship species for mobility.

Yet, despite its critical ecological importance, the khulan often receives less attention than more “charismatic” species.

Our organization works to change this since 2008 - combining scientific monitoring, community engagement, awareness to ensure the khulan continues to roam freely across the Gobi-Steppe.

In this article we will explore how and why the khulan plays these roles, what threats it faces, and why its conservation matters for landscapes, wildlife and people.

Before diving into specifics, it is useful to define the terms:

• Keystone species: A species whose ecological role is so central that its removal (or major reduction) would lead to substantial changes in the ecosystem’s structure, diversity and function.
• Umbrella species: A species selected for conservation that, by protecting it, indirectly protects many other species in its habitat. These species typically require large, diverse habitats and wide-ranging home territories, so when efforts are made to protect their needs, the needs of other organisms that share that habitat are also met.

The khulan ticks both boxes in the Gobi-Steppe context.

1. Massive Mobility & Landscape Connectivity

The khulan roams vast distances each year across Mongolia. Some studies document annual ranges of up to 70,000 km2 for this species.

Their movements help keep large patches of steppe and desert connected, enabling ecological processes (seed dispersal, nutrient flows, water availability) that smaller, more sedentary species cannot maintain alone.

2. Ecosystem Engineering: Water-holes & Vegetation

The khulan digs for water: when surface water sources are gone, they excavate dry riverbeds and water point to access subsurface water. These water holes are then used by many other species (wildlife, livestock, even humans) — thus the khulan acts as an ecosystem engineer. By enabling better water access in harsh arid landscapes, the khulan increases the resilience of Gobi wildlife and livestock to drought and extreme conditions.

3. Grazing, Seed Dispersal & Vegetation Heterogeneity

Their grazing habits and movement across the landscape help maintain plant‐community diversity and structure. Also, through their dungs they act as seed dispersers, facilitating regeneration across the steppe.

4. Large Landscape Stewardship

Because the khulan requires huge areas to maintain viable populations, protecting them inherently means protecting large landscapes in largely intact condition — rather than small, fragmented reserves. This large-scale approach helps preserve ecological integrity at a scale that matters.

Because of its large spatial needs, its dependence on connectivity, its interactions with many other species and ecosystem processes, the khulan serves as an “umbrella” species (doing the heavy lifting for many other species). By safeguarding the habitats of the khulan, we also preserve refuges against desertification, extreme weather events, and provide ecosystem services that benefit other species and also local communities.

The steppe and Gobi regions of Mongolia are still among the world’s most intact large-scale terrestrial ecosystems. Yet they face rapidly increasing pressures (mining, development of linear infrastructures, livestock numbers, climate change).

Here are some key points:

• Mongolia hosts over 80 % of the global Asiatic Wild Ass population (the Khulan is one of the 5 recognized subspecies of the Asiatic Wild Ass).
• The khulan’s role in large-scale mobility and connectivity is especially important in these arid/semi-arid zones where resources (water, forage) are patchy and variable.
• Their presence helps maintain ecological processes under harsh conditions (summer droughts, cold winters) where ecosystem resilience is critical.

By protecting the khulan we thereby protect Mongolia’s Gobi-Steppe as a global heritage of wild landscapes.

Despite this importance, the khulan is under pressure. Key threats include:

• Habitat fragmentation & connectivity loss: Fences (railways and border fences), roads, mines restrict movement and break up large range areas.
• Competition with livestock: As pastoral livestock numbers increase, competition for forage and water increases.
• Extreme weather events: The “dzud” (severe winter) in Mongolia caused massive livestock losses; wildlife such as khulan may be similarly vulnerable as this leads to food shortage and exhaustion.
• Mining & infrastructure expansion: These not only fragment habitat but also create disturbance, restrict movement, increase human–wildlife conflict.
• Illegal hunting/poaching: Though protected, the species has historically been heavily hunted/poached. However, increased awareness and stronger law enforcement have improved the situation in recent years, though continuous attention and monitoring are still needed.

Because the khulan’s role is so functionally central, a decline in their numbers or range may trigger cascading effects: reduced connectivity, loss of ecosystem engineering, decreased resilience to climate extremes, and thereby weaker support for many other species.

Protecting the khulan — and through it, the ecological integrity of the Gobi-Steppe — requires sustained and coordinated effort. 

Our organization focuses on protecting the species and natural resources, managing human–wildlife interactions, and raising awareness to ensure that khulan continue to roam freely across the Gobi by working closely with local communities. Our approach combines field monitoring, community engagement, and education to build a sustainable and harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.

To raise awareness about the khulan’s ecological and cultural significance, our organization co-initiated Khulan Day in 2012: an initiative we co-launched with a southeastern Gobi community to celebrate and protect the species. Discover about Khulan Day -> https://www.goviinkhulan.org/english/mongolian-wild-ass-khulan-conservation/khulan-day/

At the same time, ensuring the long-term survival of this keystone species depends on a broader commitment across sectors: integrating ecological knowledge into land-use planning, ensuring infrastructure projects maintain ecological balance, and supporting adaptive management that strengthens the resilience of steppe ecosystems to climate extremes.

Conservation success in the Gobi is only possible through shared understanding and complementary actions that maintain the delicate balance between wildlife, landscapes, and pastoral livelihoods.

By securing a future for the khulan, we secure the future of one of the world’s last great natural steppes — a landscape where wild and traditional ways of life can still coexist.

The khulan is far more than a charismatic wild equid of Mongolia. It is a keystone species, exerting major influence on the structure and function of the Gobi-Steppe ecosystem through its grazing, movement, engineering of water access, and landscape‐scale connectivity. It is also an umbrella species, whose conservation pulls in the fate of many other plants, animals and human communities that share its range.

Protecting the khulan is thus not just about one species—it’s about securing one of the last great wild landscapes on Earth, with all its biodiversity, cultural heritage and ecological resilience. As pressure mounts from development, climate change and land-use change, the time to act is now. Mongolia’s commitment (such as designating Khulan Conservation Day) is a positive sign – but sustained action across policy, land-use planning, community engagement and ecological research will determine whether this keystone species continues to anchor the Gobi’s wild rank.