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PloS one2011; 6(12); e28057; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028057

The danger of having all your eggs in one basket–winter crash of the re-introduced Przewalski’s horses in the Mongolian Gobi.

Abstract: Large mammals re-introduced into harsh and unpredictable environments are vulnerable to stochastic effects, particularly in times of global climate change. The Mongolian Gobi is home to several rare large ungulates such as re-introduced Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) and Asiatic wild asses (Equus hemionus), but also to a millennium-old semi-nomadic livestock herding culture.The Gobi is prone to large inter-annual environmental fluctuations, but the winter 2009/2010 was particularly severe. Millions of livestock died and the Przewalski's horse population in the Gobi crashed. We used spatially explicit livestock loss statistics, ranger survey data and GPS telemetry to provide insight into the effect of a catastrophic climate event on the two sympatric wild equid species and the livestock population in light of their different space use strategies.Herders in and around the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area lost on average 67% of their livestock. Snow depth varied locally, resulting in livestock losses following an east-west gradient. Herders had few possibilities for evasion, as competition for available winter camps was high. Przewalski's horses used three different winter ranges, two in the east and one in the west. Losses averaged 60%, but differed hugely between east and west. Space use of Przewalski's horses was extremely conservative, as groups did not attempt to venture beyond their known home ranges. Asiatic wild asses seemed to have suffered few losses by shifting their range westwards.The catastrophic winter 2009/2010 provided a textbook example for how vulnerable small and spatially confined populations are in an environment prone to environmental fluctuations and catastrophes. This highlights the need for disaster planning by local herders, multiple re-introduction sites with spatially dispersed populations for re-introduced Przewalski's horses, and a landscape-level approach beyond protected area boundaries to allow for migratory or nomadic movements in Asiatic wild asses.
© 2011 Kaczensky et al.
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Publication Date: 2011-12-28 PubMed ID: 22216089PubMed Central: PMC3247207DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028057Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research studied the impact of a severe winter in 2009/2010 on the Przewalski’s horse population, a species reintroduced to the Mongolian Gobi, and found that this extreme weather event caused a significant loss of both the horse and livestock populations, highlighting the vulnerability of confined and small animal populations to unpredictable climate events.

Background

  • The study focuses on the vulnerability of large mammals that have been reintroduced to harsh and unpredictable environments. In the case of this study, the focus is on the Przewalski’s horses and Asiatic wild asses in the Mongolian Gobi.
  • The Mongolian Gobi is known for its large environmental fluctuations, and the winter of 2009/2010 was especially harsh, resulting in the death of millions of livestock and a significant drop in the Przewalski’s horse population.

Methodology

  • The researchers used various forms of data, including livestock loss statistics, ranger survey data, and GPS telemetry, to analyze the impact of the severe winter – a catastrophic climate event – on the large ungulate species and livestock population.
  • They examined the different space-use strategies of the examined species and how these strategies affected their survival rates.

Findings

  • The researchers found that local herders lost an average of 67% of their livestock. The Przewalski’s horses, which used three different winter ranges, suffered an average loss of 60%.
  • The severity of the losses varied between east and west, probably due to varying snow depths. It was also noted that the horses did not attempt to move beyond their known home ranges, creating a conservative space-use approach.
  • In comparison, the Asiatic wild asses seemingly suffered fewer losses as they shifted their range westwards.

Implications

  • The extreme winter of 2009/2010 served as an example of how small and confined populations are highly susceptible to environmental fluctuations and disasters.
  • The study stresses the need for local herders’ disaster planning, the establishment of multiple reintroduction sites for Przewalski’s horses, and a landscape-level approach to allow for migratory movements in Asiatic wild asses.

Cite This Article

APA
Kaczensky P, Ganbataar O, Altansukh N, Enkhsaikhan N, Stauffer C, Walzer C. (2011). The danger of having all your eggs in one basket–winter crash of the re-introduced Przewalski’s horses in the Mongolian Gobi. PLoS One, 6(12), e28057. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028057

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 6
Issue: 12
Pages: e28057

Researcher Affiliations

Kaczensky, Petra
  • Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. petra.kaczensky@fiwi.at
Ganbataar, Oyunsaikhan
    Altansukh, Nanjid
      Enkhsaikhan, Namtar
        Stauffer, Christian
          Walzer, Chris

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Horses
            • Mongolia
            • Population Dynamics
            • Seasons

            Conflict of Interest Statement

            Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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