Transcaspian wild ass, Turkmenistani onager
The Turkmenian kulan (Equus hemionus kulan) is a subspecies of onager (Asiatic wild ass) native to Central Asia. It is one of the largest subspecies of the onagers. The Turkmenian kulan was declared Endangered in 2016.
The Turkmenian kulan is characterized by a pale brown coat, a dark stripe down the spine, and white patches on the sides, back, and belly. It also has a shaggy black mane and a tuft at the tail end. During the summer, the Turkmenian kulan's coat is leaner and brown, then it turns into a thick grayish-brown winter coat during the cold season. Males are typically larger than females.
This subspecies is found in Turkmenistan and has been reintroduced to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as Israel. These animals inhabit hot and cold deserts or semi-deserts, steppes, arid grasslands and shrublands.
Kulan are mostly active at dawn and dusk when temperatures are milder. Like most onagers, they are one of the fastest land mammals and can run at a high speed of 70 km/h (43.5 mi/h). Although most of their liquid comes from food, kulan often travel far distances at water sources, especially when breastfeeding their offspring. Turkmenian kulan are social animals. Females live with foals in small herds. Males are either solitary or live in groups; they can adopt harem-type social groups, with several mares and foals in territory-based social groups. Like other onagers, kulan have anti-predatory protections. A group of males can cooperate and chase off the predators.
Turkmenian kulan are herbivorous mammals. They feed on herbs, shrubbery, and plants.
Turkmenan kulan are polygynous breeders. The dominant male defends the surrounding areas to the water sources and tries to mate with any females that come close to drink. After a gestation period that lasts for about a year, the female gives birth to a single foal. The young can stand and starts to nurse within 15 to 20 minutes and stays with the mother for the first 2 years of life.
Turkmenian kulan is threatened by poaching, hunting for their meat and their coat, habitat loss, and predation by apex predators such as Persian leopards, Striped hyenas, and mostly Himalayan wolves. Kulan also suffer from periods of droughts or harsh winters.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Turkmenistan kulan is 1,600-2,000 mature individuals. Currently, this subspecies is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List.
