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Indian Wild Ass population
Year
Year Population
1962 362
1976 720
1983 1,990
1990 2,070
1999 2,840
2004 3,860
2008 4,040
The Indian Wild Ass
Like the Asiatic lion, the Indian wild ass, Equus hemionus khur,
has a single population in the Little Rann of Kachchh in the
world. During the last century, the Indian wild ass had a fairly
wide distribution in the dry region of the north west of India
and Pakistan. Gradually, this animal disappeared from most
of its previous habitat, except the Rann of Kachchh. Dr Salim
Ali (1946) estimated a population between 3000 to 4000 wild
asses in the Rann. Number and distribution range of the animal
declined subsequently. Outbreak of the Surra disease, caused
by Tryspanosoma evansi, in 1960 also caused the decline of wild
ass population. As a result, only about 870 individuals survived
in 1962. Subsequently, the attack of the South African Horse
Sickness in 1963 caused death of some animal. As a result, only
362 animals were counted in the entire distribution range in
1969 by an aerial survey.
Conservation measures started in the late 1970s, after
declaration of the sanctuary. Habitat protection and
improvement works, including creation of water facilities
for the wild life were carried out. Wild ass responded to
the conservation measures. The number of the wild ass
increased consistently from 720 in 1976 to 4,040 in 2008. The
Indian wild ass is not only saved from its extinction but the
animal has had an impressive recovery during the last three
and half decades since declaration of the sanctuary. In other
words, the number of the Indian wild ass has increased by over
five times since its first counting after the notification of the
sanctuary.