Kulan is one of the wild species of donkeys. Sometimes it is referred to as the Asian donkey. Member of the equine family, it is related to the African species of wild asses, as well as zebras and a wild variety of horses. To this day, many people believe that this species of animal has never been domesticated by humans.
Description of the kulan
There are a huge number of subspecies of kulan, about which researchers still have disagreements. The most common subspecies of these animals are:
- Onager (Iranian kulan), lives in northern Iran;
- Turkmen species, whose distribution range is Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan;
- Mongolian kulan, living in Mongolia;
- Indian subspecies, most often found in Iran, Pakistan, northwestern India;
- Kiang, common in western China and Tibet.
The kiang has the largest dimensions of all subspecies, its body weight can reach about 400 kg.
Appearance of the kulan
It is a primitive type of horse, similar in characteristics to a donkey. The body length can reach two meters, and the height at the withers can be up to 150 cm. The body weight of this animal is about 200-300 kg. It has thin legs, narrow, elongated hooves, and a small tail (up to 40 cm), which ends in a tassel. The color of the animal is variable: from sandy to dark brown.
There is a grayish tint. Along the entire back along the midline there is a stripe represented by dark shades of flowers. The erect mane, stretching from the ears to the withers, the tail and tips of the ears are dark in color, while the lower part of the body, neck, head, as well as the lateral surfaces of the body of the kulan are light. They do not have the “bangs” characteristic of domestic horses.
This is interesting! Subspecies of kulans may differ from each other. Animals living in the foothills are smaller in size and have brighter colors. Their legs are short, their heads are small, and their ears are large. They are more similar to the usual donkeys. The kulans living on the plains are much larger, have long legs and are more like horses, weeks like donkeys.
In summer, the hair is short, well adjacent to the skin; in winter, the hair is more pronouncedly long and curly.
Character and lifestyle
It is a herd animal, herds can reach 10-20 animals. The leader of the herd is an adult female, the rest are young animals. The most experienced female leads the entire herd, while the male lives at some distance, inspecting the surrounding area and provides protection to the entire herd. Most often, the entire herd wanders from place to place on foot, but if there is a sudden danger, the kulan can reach speeds of up to 60-70 km/h.
At the same time, they are distinguished by their endurance - they can withstand this pace of running for about 5-10 minutes, which provides them with the opportunity to hide from ill-wishers. At the same time, they are also distinguished by good jumping ability. It is not a problem for the kulan to jump to a height of about one and a half meters, and to jump from an even higher height of 2.5 m. One leader is able to protect the herd for about 10 years in a row. But over time, he cannot claim this place and young and strong males take it. The previous male then becomes an outcast in this herd.
Usually kulans are gentle, active and agile animals, but there are times when they can look quite terrifying. An example of this would be the fights between males that take place during the mating season. Males rear up, flatten their ears, bare their mouths, and their eyes become bloodshot. Male individuals cover their enemy with their legs, thereby attempting to throw them to the ground, while simultaneously gnawing their limbs with their teeth in order to damage them. In such a battle, you can get significant injuries, but it does not lead to bloodshed.
This is interesting! Kulans are peaceful towards almost all representatives of the animal world. They let the jackdaws pull the fur from their withers to build nests. They especially dislike dogs and sheep. They are most often attacked by kulans.
In case of approaching danger, the male gives an alarm signal, notifying the rest of the herd. Their cry is similar to the cry of an ordinary domestic donkey. Kulans have in their arsenal a keen hearing, a sensitive sense of smell, as well as acute vision, which allows them to notice the enemy at a great distance. These animals do not prefer a recumbent lifestyle at all. Their rest in a horizontal position can last a maximum of 2 hours, and in winter - no more than half an hour. The rest of the time the kulans spend on their feet.
How long do kulans live?
By the age of four, kulans reach their sexually mature period of life. Their total lifespan is about twenty years.
Range and habitats
The usual habitat of kulans is Central Asia. In the northern part they are located in the region of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, in the western part - near Iran, and in the east they can be found in Mongolia and China. They live only in desert and semi-desert zones, which are located both in the mountains and in the foothills near Asian river bodies.
This is interesting! Currently, the presence of a population of kulans in Afghanistan is described.
You will rarely see these animals in thickets of trees and other vegetation that obstruct their view. They try to avoid such places. Also avoid areas with loose or poorly secured sand surfaces. On the territory of Russia, their habitat is the southern part of Transbaikalia and Western Siberia.
Kulan diet
In terms of food, they are very unpretentious. They consume a variety of vegetation growing in the steppe, desert and semi-desert.. Even roots, dried berries and the tops of bushes serve as food for them. In winter, in search of food, they can break the snow cover and break the ice.
An important point for them is watering. It is the location of aquatic habitats that determines their location. But even in water they do not express any preferences - they can even drink bitter and salty water.
Reproduction and offspring
The season for procreation is from May to August. At this time, the male, who was usually at a distance from the herd, approaches it and attracts the attention of females by tumbling on the ground in the dust, churning the soil with his feet, thereby demonstrating his readiness for a serious relationship. Females who are ready to mate give him their response, which is expressed by biting the male at the withers. By this she expresses that she is ready for procreation.
Further, after communication between them, the animals undergo a mating process, which ends with the female becoming pregnant. The gestation period among kulans lasts a fairly long period of time. Pregnancy lasts about 12 months, after which delivery occurs and a foal is born. Immediately before the birth of the baby, the female leaves the herd and remains at a distance in order to protect her cub from other animals after birth.
Almost immediately after birth, the foal stands on its feet and is capable of independent movement. He lies down for 2-3 days in a secluded place, where he is invisible to other animals, and then joins the herd. Initially, the female feeds him milk, the foal quickly gains weight. The average weight gain is about 700 grams per day. If the cub is hungry, then he characteristically notifies the mother about this.
This is interesting! The foal, which was born just a week ago, is already capable of running at speeds of up to 40 km/h.
Blocking her path, shaking his head, kicking up dust with his feet, he does not allow her to take a single step. If the mother lies down, then the foal is able to independently find a way to get to the mother’s milk. The duration of feeding a baby is about 10 months. At this time, he gradually begins to master other plant foods, which he will eat throughout his life. Young animals do not welcome babies into their herd, so they try in every possible way to bite and offend them, but sensitive parents always stand up to protect their child, thereby saving their life.
The wild ass (Equus hemionus) is an ungulate from the equine family. Outwardly, it resembles a donkey or, however, this freedom-loving animal, unlike its similar relatives, has never been tamed by humans. However, scientists were able to prove through DNA testing that kulans are the distant ancestors of all modern donkeys living on the African continent. In ancient times, they could also be found in Northern Asia, the Caucasus and Japan. Fossil remains have been found as far away as Arctic Siberia. The kulan was first described by scientists in 1775.
Description of the kulan
The kulan is more reminiscent in color, as it has beige-colored fur, which is lighter on the face and in the belly area. The dark mane stretches along the entire spine and has a fairly short and stiff pile. The coat is shorter and straighter in summer, becoming longer and curly in winter. The tail is thin and short, with a peculiar tassel at the end.
The total length of the kulan reaches 170-200 cm, the height from the beginning of the hooves to the end of the body is 125 cm, the weight of a mature individual ranges from 120 to 300 kg. The kulan is larger than a regular donkey, but smaller. Another distinctive feature of it is its tall, oblong-shaped ears and massive head. At the same time, the animal’s legs are quite narrow, and its hooves are elongated.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Kulans are herbivores, therefore, they feed on plant foods. They are not picky about food. Very sociable in their native habitat. They love the company of other kulans, but treat others with caution. Stallions jealously protect their mares and foals. Unfortunately, more than half of the kulan offspring die before they even reach puberty, that is, two years. The reasons are different - predators and lack of nutrition.
Often adult males team up to confront wolves, fighting off with their hooves. However, the main means of protecting kulans from predators is speed, which, like racehorses, can reach 70 km per hour. Unfortunately, their speed is less than the speed of a bullet, which often shortens the life of these beautiful animals. Despite the fact that kulans are a protected species, poachers often hunt them for their valuable skin and meat. Farmers simply shoot them to get rid of the extra mouths eating plants that their pets could get enough of.
Thus, the life expectancy of kulans in the wild is only 7 years. In captivity, this period doubles.
Reintroduction of kulans
Asian wild asses and Przewalski's horses originally inhabited steppe, semi-desert and desert regions, but Przewalski's horses became extinct in the wild and kulans disappeared in the early 20th century, except for a small population in Turkmenistan. Since then, these animals have been protected.
The Bukhara Breeding Center (Uzbekistan) was created in 1976 for the reintroduction and conservation of wild ungulate species. In 1977-1978, five kulans (two males and three females) from the Barsa-Kelmes island in the Aral Sea were released into the reserve. In 1989-1990, the group increased to 25-30 individuals. At the same time, eight Przewalski's horses were brought to the territory from the Moscow and St. Petersburg zoos.
In 1995-1998, an analysis of the behavior of both species was carried out, which showed that kulans are more adapted to semi-desert conditions ().
Thus, thanks to the coordinated actions of Uzbek breeders, today kulans can be found not only in the vast reserves of Uzbekistan, but also in the northern part of India, Mongolia, Iran and Turkmenistan.
Educational video about the kulan
It has much in common with horses, but at the same time it is very similar in appearance to a donkey, which is why it is often called a half-donkey. This species is listed in the International Red Book with the status of an endangered species, and in the Red Book of the Russian Federation its status is extinct.
Appearance of the kulan
Kulan is a primitive horse, which in many of its external features resembles a donkey. The body length of this animal reaches two meters, the height at the withers is 120-130 cm, and the weight is about 200-300 kg. He has a rather large massive head with long movable ears.
The legs are thin, the tail is small. The color is very diverse: from sandy-yellowish to dark gray with a brown tint. There is a darker stripe along the entire back.
The mane and tuft at the end of the tail are also dark, and the lower body, legs and front of the muzzle are light.
Habitats of the kulan
The distribution area of the kulan is very vast. It lives in Central and Central Asia in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, China and Japan.
Previously, it lived on the territory of Russia in Kalmykia, Ciscaucasia, and the area between the Volga and Ural rivers. At the beginning of the 19th century, he was still encountered in Western Siberia, where he probably visited from Kazakhstan during his migration, but later these encounters became extremely rare, and then stopped completely.
The natural habitat of the kulan is steppes, semi-deserts and mountain plateaus. It prefers flat areas, but is sometimes found in the hills and on gentle slopes of hills.
Character and behavior of the kulan
Kulan- a herd animal. Usually the herd consists of females and young animals. The most experienced mare leads the entire herd. The stallion is usually located a little further away, observing the surrounding area and ensuring the safety of the entire herd. Usually the herd moves from place to place at a pace, but in case of sudden danger, kulans can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h.
They are very resilient and are able to maintain this running speed for about 5-10 minutes, which allows them to hide from enemies. Kulans are very unpretentious in food; they feed on a variety of vegetation of the steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. They can feed not only on grass, but also on roots, dried berries and the tops of bushes. In winter, they tear up snow and break ice in search of food.
Watering holes play an important role in the life of the kulans; it is their location that determines their nomadic life in the steppes and deserts. In case of emergency, they can even drink salty and bitter water.
Number of kulan individuals
Currently, the approximate number of kulans worldwide is 20 thousand individuals. This includes both populations living in natural conditions in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and other countries, as well as individuals kept in captivity in various zoos and nature reserves.
Natural limiting factors that have led to a reduction in the number of kulans are cold and snowy winters with ice and strong winds, as well as attacks by predatory animals (wolves, hyenas and others). Humans also had a great negative influence.
Factors influencing the decrease in the number of kulans:
- plowing of territories;
- blocking natural watering places;
- displacement of kulans from their habitat by artiodactyl domestic animals;
- hunting and poaching.
All these factors have led to the fact that the number of these animals has greatly decreased.
Reproduction of kulans
The breeding season for kulans is in spring and summer. Males jealously guard their females and, if necessary, fight with other stallions. Pregnancy lasts almost 12 months.
Before giving birth, the female moves away from the herd. Foals are born independent and can follow their mother within an hour. They feed on milk for up to 10 months. They reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years and live up to 20 years.
Security of the kulans
This species is listed both in the International Red Book and in the Red Books of many individual countries.
Kulan kept in many zoos, game reserves and nature reserves. Despite the fact that it quickly gets used to people and reproduces well in captivity, kulans do not become tame and cannot be domesticated.
There are specially developed programs to restore their numbers in different countries. Also, special sensors are attached to kulans to monitor them in natural conditions.
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And belongs to the equine family. There are several subspecies, and these subspecies differ from each other in appearance.
So, for example, animals living in the foothill areas are small in size, but are more brightly colored, but the lowland kulans are taller, their appearance is more reminiscent.
And yet, there are significant differences. All kulans have a mane that stands straight, and there is no bangs. Kulans do not have bangs. The head of this animal is large, large, with long ears. The tail has a black tassel at the end. The color is sandy, the belly is lighter, almost white.
Kulan running around Asia, can put any runner to shame, because it reaches speeds of up to 65 km/h and can run like that for a relatively long time. Even a baby who was born just a week ago runs at a speed of 40 km/h.
Kulan can run at a speed of about 65 km/h for a long time
It must be said that 65 km is not the limit; kulans can reach speeds of 70 km/h. The horse will not be able to catch up with the kulan unless he himself wants it. Endurance and the ability to run at high speed are one of the striking features animal kulan.
This is not difficult to explain, because running is the only way an animal has to escape from predators. Natural enemies of the kulan have to make do with only old and sick individuals or even babies.
Although, the mother will fight for the baby, and it is worth noting that very often, successfully. The female attacks the enemy with blows from her front and hind legs, helping to wound the attackers with her teeth. Very often the enemy simply cannot resist such protection.
Kulans prefer to graze in herds
The animal can not only run perfectly, but can also jump well. It is not a problem for him to jump to a height of 1.5 m and jump from a height of 2.5 m. The kulan is physically well developed.
It was well protected by nature and from adverse weather conditions. Its fur, as well as its network of blood vessels, allows it to withstand frost and extreme heat. Kulan can be found in Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan and even in Northwestern China. In Russia, it is distributed in the south of Transbaikalia and Western Siberia.
Character and lifestyle of the kulan
Kulans live in herds of 5-25 animals. The leader of the herd is an adult, experienced female. This is considered, after all, a male. He is located slightly away from the entire garden, grazes separately, but closely monitors the safety of all animals.
Pictured is a Turkmen kulan
Under his supervision, the entire herd grazes calmly, and if any danger approaches, the leader immediately gives a signal that is very reminiscent of the cry of an ordinary donkey. And then the herd really needs the ability to run fast and jump well over obstacles.
So one leader can protect his herd for about ten years. With age, he can no longer claim the role of leader; stronger and younger males win this right from him, and the old male is expelled from the herd.
Active, mobile and seemingly harmless animals can look terrifying when, for example, males fight during the mating season. Adult strong males rear up, lay back their ears, their eyes become bloodshot, their mouths are grinning.
The males wrap their legs around the enemy, try to knock him down, and gnaw him with their teeth, trying to damage the hock joint. It comes to serious wounds and bloodshed, however, it does not come to death.
During the mating season, male kulans can fight mercilessly
An interesting and inexplicable fact is that kulans are quite peaceful towards almost all animals and birds. they even allow their hair to be pulled out to build nests. But for some reason they are especially disliked. When they approach, the kulans may attack them.
Another unusual thing is that these animals do not like to lie down at all; lying down can last no more than 2 hours. And in winter, no more than 30 minutes. But while standing, a kulan can rest from 5 to 8 hours.
Nutrition
These animals feed only on plant foods. All kinds of plants are eaten; kulans are not capricious. They eagerly eat any greenery, however, when there is no green grass, it is replaced by saxaul, solyanka and such plants that other animals do not like very much.
Any water will do for them too. Kulans can even drink very salty water or too bitter water, which is available in infrequent reservoirs. Sometimes, in order to find at least some source of moisture, they have to walk more than 30 km. Therefore, animals know how to appreciate every drop.
Reproduction and lifespan
From May to August wild kulans the season of procreation begins. At this time, the leader of the herd, who was not far from the herd, now begins to graze very close, and attracts the attention of the females by beginning to tumble in the dust, kick up the dry soil with his feet and show in every possible way that he is ready for a serious relationship. Females, ready to mate, respond to him by nibbling his withers, showing that they are not at all against this very relationship.
After such communication, the couple mates. The female carries pregnancy for quite a long time - almost a year, after which the baby is born. Before its birth, the female leaves the herd so that other females or young males cannot harm the calf.
In the photo, a male kulan attracts the attention of females while lying in the dust
After birth, the baby almost immediately stands on its feet and is quite ready to follow its mother. True, first he needs to gain a little strength, and he lies down in a secluded place.
But after 2-3 days, he and his mother join the herd. The female feeds him milk, and the cub quickly gains weight, up to 700 grams per day. When it comes to food, the baby becomes very demanding.
If the mother does not think of feeding him herself, then the cub blocks her path, shakes her head, angrily kicks her legs, not allowing her to take a step. If the female is lying down, then the little cub will find a way to lift her and drink milk.
In the photo there is a female kulan with a calf
A baby needs milk for 10 months. True, at this time he is already beginning to get used to plant foods, but the dairy “cuisine” is not canceled.
Young kulans - 1-2 years old do not exactly welcome the little newcomer, they strive to bite him, but the parents sensitively guard the peace and health of the baby. Only by the age of 4 are young kulans reach puberty. And their entire life expectancy is 20 years.
Kingdom: animals (Animalia).
Type: chordates (Chordata).
Class:mammals (Mammalia).
Squad: odd-toed ungulates (Perissodactyla).
Family: equidae (Equidae).
Genus:horses (Equus).
View:kulan (Equus hemionus).
Equus hemionus Pallas, 1775
Spreading: Described from the vicinity of the lake. Torey-Nur in East. Transbaikalia. The species range in the past occupied the steppe zone of the East. Europe, Western Siberia, as well as arid zones (steppes, semi-deserts and deserts) of Kazakhstan, Middle and Central Asia, Tibet, Western Asia, including the Arabian Peninsula, Asia Minor and north-west. India. Within Russia were the north-west. and sowing parts of the species' range. From the steppes of the East. Europe, including the Ciscaucasia, Kalmykia, and the area between the Volga and Ural rivers, the kulans disappeared in the early to mid-18th century. . At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries. Kulans still lived in the south of the West. Siberia (Barabinsk steppes) and in the North. Kazakhstan, but later sowing. The border began to quickly retreat to the south and meetings of kulans in this part of Russia ceased to be celebrated. Most likely in the Western steppe. Kulans entered Siberia from Kazakhstan during seasonal migrations, mainly in the summer. To the South-East. Transbaikalia in past centuries regularly entered the steppes in the vicinity of the lake. Torey-Nur, as well as in the Solovyovsk region and along the river. Arguni to the north. from the lake Dalai-Nur. Regular races were celebrated in this area in the 18th century. and in the first half of the 19th century, later, with a decline in numbers and a shift of the range to the south in Mongolia and China, visits became rare. The last reliable meeting in the South-East steppes. Transbaikalia was noted in 1926. This year can be considered the year of the disappearance of the kulan from the fauna of Russia. Subspecies affiliation of the kulans who inhabited the East. Europe, not established; kulans of the south West. Siberia apparently belonged to the Kazakhstani subspecies - E. h. finschi. The Mongolian subspecies lived in Transbaikalia - E. h. hemionus. Thus, by the middle of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The kulans practically disappeared from Russian territory. The main reason for the extinction is direct extermination, the development of steppes and semi-deserts with active displacement from pastures and watering places. The same reasons determine a further reduction in numbers and range for other territories outside Russia.
Habitat: Kulan is an ecologically flexible species characterized by a wide variety of habitats. Within the vast range they inhabit turfgrass steppes, semi-deserts, various types of deserts, high mountain plateaus and small hills. They willingly stay not only on the plains, but also in areas with rugged terrain among hills and mountain rises with accessible watering places and suitable shelters (gorges, ravines) in areas with little snow in winters. In the past for the north. Kulan populations were characterized by regular seasonal migrations (Kazakhstan, etc.); in other parts of the range (Mongolia, Turkmenistan), kulans lead a sedentary lifestyle, making short movements in search of pastures or watering places. Kulans are characterized by a small-group social organization. Typically, such groups are represented by a herd led by an adult stallion and 4-5 adult mares with several foals. In autumn and winter, herds unite into herds of up to 100 or more animals. Females first bear foals at 3-4 years of age, males participate in reproduction later, at 4-5 years of age. Mating is usually in May-June. Pregnancy is about 11.5 months. The female brings one foal, which she feeds until the next rut. Population growth averages about 20%, but varies depending on the living conditions of a particular year.
Number: There is very little accurate data on the number of kulans for past centuries within Russia and, as a rule, the authors limit themselves to indicating whether they are common or small in number. To the South-East. Transbaikalia, where kulans survived the longest; in the autumn-winter periods, kulans were common in the 18th century, but already in the first half of the 19th century. there were noticeably fewer of them: herds of 20-30 animals were very rare and only single young animals were found. The main limiting factors that determine the state of populations are uncontrolled hunting using long-range rifled weapons, which began to be practiced during periods of intensive development of arid territories (steppes and semi-deserts), the displacement of kulans by herds of domestic ungulates from pastures and the blocking of natural watering places. The kulan population also suffered great damage during periods with heavy snowy winters, which occur periodically in all parts of the arid zones of Eurasia. To date, the most stable populations of kulans have survived only in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, where, thanks to increased protection with the organization of a network of protected areas (Badkhyz Reserve) and introduction work, the number of Turkmen kulans has reached more than 4 thousand heads. A relatively complete and largest habitat of the kulan (Mongolian subspecies) has been preserved in Mongolia, where the species’ habitat area is at least 100 thousand km2 with a total population of about 20 thousand individuals, of which 2.5-3 thousand are within the Great Gobi Nature Reserve (Trans-Altai and Dzungarian Gobi) and 16-17 thousand - in the South Gobi and neighboring aimags of the South. Mongolia.
Security: Listed on the IUCN-96 Red List, Appendix 2 of CITES. Successfully reproduces in captivity, in zoos of the former USSR in the 80s. more than 120 kulans were kept, including about 80 in Askania-Nova in Ukraine. To restore the kulan in Russia, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive program for the return of this species to the fauna, identifying places of introduction and ensuring the introduction of kulans into the ecosystems of steppes and semi-deserts. Resolve the issue of the subspecies status of reacclimatizers (Mongolian or Turkmen subspecies). In Transbaikalia, conduct a survey to determine the feasibility of reintroduction into the Daursky Nature Reserve. In the European part of Russia, the optimal place for reintroduction could be Kalmykia - the region of the Chernye Zemli reserve with a protective zone, where large areas of the territory have been removed from economic use and are free from livestock.
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