The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

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into the protected areas. Investigate establishing
livestock management veterinary units to support
communities in core areas, similar to the
community-based veterinary units in the buffer
zone of Chitwan National Park.
References
Hubback 1937, Crandall 1964, Schaller 1967, Suwal and Verheugt 1995, Baral and Shah 2008, Duckworth et
al. 2008b, Naresh Subedi (pers. comm.) 2009, Hem Sagar Baral (pers. comm.) 2010,
Nepal Red List of Mammals National Workshop 2010.
15) Equus kiang (Moorcroft, 1841)
Common Names
Kiang (English); Kiang (Nepali)
Synonyms
Equus equioides (Hodgson, 1842); Equus polyodon
(Hodgson, 1847); Equus holdereri (Matschie, 1911);
Equus tafeli (Matschie, 1924); Equus nepalensis
(Trumler, 1959)
Species Description
Chestnut-brown coats, grey muzzle, with white
throat, undersides and backs of legs. The coat is
darker in winter, and paler and reddish in summer.
Short upright, black mane and black dorsal stripe to
the tail. Large ears.
Species Ecology
The Kiang inhabits plains and hills in open valleys in
the Trans-Himalayan and alpine grasslands. Primary
habitat consists of grass and shrub-land with
accessible water sources at high elevations
of 4,650 m to 5,350 m with very low human
disturbance. Regular migration patterns have not
been observed, yet Kiang are known to make
seasonal movements between different habitat
types. They predominantly feed on grasses and
grass-like plants, particularly Carex and Robresia
species with a large proportion of their summer
diet consisting of Austrostipa (previously known as
Stipa) but they will also feed on forbs, shrubs and
roots. The estimated age at first reproduction for the
species is three to four years, producing a single foal
after a gestation period of approximately 355 days.
They have been reported to live up to 20 years in the
wild.
v) Re-introduce Gaur into suitable habitat in Bardia
and Banke National Parks, to create additional viable
populations.
Conservation Status
Global: Least Concern
National: Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D1
Rationale for assessment: The Kiang (Equus kiang)
has been assessed as Vulnerable under criterion B
and D due to the species current small range and
population size within Nepal. Kiang are known
to occur in a single location, Mustang, within the
protected area of the Annapurna Conservation (area
of occupancy less than 1,000 km 2 ). Within its range
the quality of habitat is considered to be declining
due to competition with livestock and overgrazing.