The Indian Wild Ass, also called the Ghudkhur or Khur, is a subspecies of the onager native to Southern Asia. Despite being listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, the Indian wild ass population has been increasing in numbers and expanding its range from the Little Rann of Kutch to the Greater Rann of Kutch and adjoining areas in the Indian States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The animal’s coat is sandy, but varies from reddish grey, fawn, to pale chestnut. Its preferred environments are saline deserts, arid grasslands, and shrublands.
The animal’s population collapsed to just 870 individuals in 1961 due to surra, a disease caused by Trypanosoma evansi and South African Horse Sickness. Conservation efforts helped boost the animal’s population to over 4000 individuals. Surra and habitat degradation due to salt activities, the invasion of the Prosopis juliflora shrub, and encroachment and grazing by the Maldhari continue to threaten the species.
The Indian wild ass was never a hunting target of Indian Maharajas and colonial British officials of the British Raj, but Mughal Emperors and noblemen from the time enjoyed hunting it. From 1958-1960, the animal became a victim of surra, causing a dramatic decline of its population in India. In November and December 1961, the wild ass population was reduced to just 870 after to the outbreak of South African Horse Sickness.
First census of the wild ass was done in 1940, when there were an estimated 3,500 wild asses. But, by the year 1960, this figure fell to just 362, it was then classified as a highly endangered species. In the years 1973 & 1976, Rann of Kutch and adjoining districts were taken up as the area for conservation for this sub-species also known as Khur. From 1976, the forest department began conducting the wild ass census. Water holes were increased in the area, the forest department has also started a project for having fodder plots though the forest department is yet to get desired success. In 1998, the wild ass population was estimated at 2,940, by the year 2004 it has increased to an estimated 3,863. A recent census conducted by forest department in 2009 has revealed that the population of wild ass in the state was estimated to about 4,038, an increase of 4.53% as compared to 2004. Recently in 2015, the current census of the Indian wild ass population has increased to more than 4,800 individuals in and outside of the Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary of India.
In conclusion, the Indian Wild Ass is a subspecies of the onager native to Southern Asia that has been listed as Near Threatened. Its population collapsed to just 870 individuals in 1961 due to surra and South African Horse Sickness. However, conservation efforts have helped increase its population to over 4000 individuals, and it has been expanding its range to adjoining areas in the Indian States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Threats to the species include surra, habitat degradation due to salt activities, the invasion of the Prosopis juliflora shrub, and encroachment and grazing by the Maldhari.
Posted by siddharthx on 2018-01-30 16:45:46