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Kiang

Equus kiang

Description:

Kiang also known as Tibetan Ass or Asiatic Ass (Equus kiang) is a species that possess a keen eyesight and well-developed sense of smell. It feeds on grass and herbs. The genders are alike and weigh between 250 – 380 kg / 551 – 838 lbs., adding about 10 kg / 22 lbs. fat towards winter. Longevity is reported to be about 20 years. A social animal, it lives mostly in sexually separated hordes of 10 – 40 individuals. Actively grazes throughout the day and can stay without water for quite some time. When alarmed, the entire group flees in a straight gallop (easily reaching the speed of 60km / 37 miles per hour).

Habitat:

Found in high altitude, open bleak semi-deserts, steppes, grassy rolling tablelands and soft sandy slopes, often near marshes or springs. Resident throughout east and north Ladakh can be found between 4, 000 – 5, 200m / 13, 123 – 17, 060 ft. altitudes, occasionally even higher. The species however moves considerably back and forth across the Tibetan border, very often related to direct disturbance and human presence/absence. An estimated more than 2000 kiang are surviving in Ladakh.

Notes:

Natural predators include mainly wolf and Tibetan wild-dog, which hunts foals, old and injured or sick animals. This photo shot in the army restricted wetlands of Ladakh.

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40 Comments (1–25)

EmilieWatchesTrees
EmilieWatchesTrees 8 years ago

Omg what an incredibly cute and beautiful animal. I've never seen one before. Thank you for sharing it. The photo itself is also very beautiful.

JoshuaGSmith
JoshuaGSmith 9 years ago

Excellent photograph and subject!

clloyd98
clloyd98 9 years ago

It's very unfortunate that species such as the kiang are becoming endangered if not already. The Grevy's zebra and Prezaski's wild horse are also incredible specimen falling in numbers. Thanks for pic!

Adarsha B S
Adarsha B S 10 years ago

Great shot! Looks artistic!

Maria dB
Maria dB 10 years ago

What a wonderful first spotting on Noah - welcome!

Jellis
Jellis 10 years ago

Beautiful shot

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 10 years ago

How did I miss this one! Congratulations on the SOTD. Beautiful picture and animal.

Awesome capture Sanjukta Dey,congrats on the SOTD and thanks for sharing

sunnyjosef
sunnyjosef 10 years ago

Run Kiang run.. run forever..... with gay abandon.... Very beautiful photo Sanjukta... Loved it!!!

Chamalka Dulmini
Chamalka Dulmini 10 years ago

congratz!fantastic!

Rajas Deshpande
Rajas Deshpande 10 years ago

ohh... superb... congrats for SOTD.. :)

YukoChartraw
YukoChartraw 10 years ago

Congratulations on your SOTD! Truly a beautiful shot!

Sanjukta Dey
Sanjukta Dey 10 years ago

Thanks Seema Swami, LaurenZarate, Jonathan Sequeira, Carol Snow Mine, Pradeep Kumar.

Pradeep Kumar
Pradeep Kumar 10 years ago

Congrats on the SOTD ! :)

Carol Snow Milne
Carol Snow Milne 10 years ago

Congratulations! Awesome photo and animal!

Jonathan Sequeira
Jonathan Sequeira 10 years ago

Estupenda foto ....

LaurenZarate
LaurenZarate 10 years ago

Congratulations Sanjukta, a very striking picture and he looks healthy and happy.

Seema Swami
Seema Swami 10 years ago

Congratulations Sanjukta !!

Sanjukta Dey
Sanjukta Dey 10 years ago

@ Reza Hasemizadeh, Saumya Wanniarachchi: Thanks folks.

Saumya Wanniarachchi
Saumya Wanniarachchi 10 years ago

Congrats on the SOTD ! :)

Reza Hashemizadeh
Reza Hashemizadeh 10 years ago

Congratulation on your outstanding SotD, and Welcome to Project Noah !

Sanjukta Dey
Sanjukta Dey 10 years ago

@ DanielePralong: Thanks once again. Hope I'll be able to make some worthwhile contributions.

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 10 years ago

Congratulations Sanjukta, and again welcome to Project Noah! This is an awesome capture.

Sanjukta Dey
Sanjukta Dey 10 years ago

@ Gilma Jeannette Ospino Ferreira-Norman, LuisStevens: Thanks folks.

LuisStevens
LuisStevens 10 years ago

Congrats Sanjukta on the SODT! Your photo gives the impression of space and freedom.

Sanjukta Dey
Spotted by
Sanjukta Dey

Jammu and Kashmir, India

Spotted on Sep 5, 2010
Submitted on Nov 3, 2013

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