Gobi bear
As Gobibär, Mongolian called Mazaalai, a form of brown bears is called. Today, it is attributed to the Isabellbären (Ursus arctos isabellinus ), which also occurs in other areas of Central Asia, North India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan. The Gobibär occurs in a small part of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. He is listed in the national Red List as critically endangered. The extremely small population and the small distribution area make it vulnerable to threats.
Features
The males of Gobibären have a body length of 1.47 to 2.20 meters, the females from 1.37 to 1.83 meters and a weight of 52-100 kg. He has a short, red - brown or sand colored fur, often with bright markings on neck and chest. His physique is slim and long-legged, allowing him quick, agile movements. Males have a larger head and broader snout than their female counterparts.
Dissemination
Unlike other brown bears, which prefer large forest areas, the Gobibär lives in the desert. The Trans- Altai Gobi is located in the south-western corner of Mongolia on the border with China and forms the westernmost foothills of the Gobi desert. The Gobibär occurs here only in three smaller mountain ranges, which are summarized as Tsagaan Bogd Uul. The main application area is in the vicinity of the oases Baruun Tooroi and Shar Khulsny Bulag. The total area of today's habitat is estimated at only 10,000 to 15,000 km ².
Diet and lifestyle
Like all brown bear lives of Gobibär, except during the mating season, as a loner. The animals are site- faithful and roam as a loner in search of food (berries, roots, and plants such as wild rhubarb, Bajunna, as well as insects, lizards, rodents, etc. ) and water huge territories, which they defend against foreign counterparts.
System
The taxonomic status of the Gobibären has long been unclear. In 1992 he was described by Sokolov and Orlov as a subspecies Ursus arctos gobiensis and 2007 for genetic studies as a relic population of Isabellbären identified ( Ursus arctos isabellinus ).
Threat and protection
Like all species of bears in Asia is threatened in their existence, these brown bear population. The recent stock assessments for the Gobibären assume a relatively stable population of 25 to 40 copies, the exact population is not known. Reasons for the rarity of the uncontrolled hunt to win bear bile for traditional Chinese medicine and trophies as well as accidents and the fragmentation of the habitat of animals by human settlements and agricultural land.
There will be designated for the protection of animals various reserves which, however due to the lack of scientific data are not yet sufficient. Therefore, running in the countries where the Gobibär occurs, various scientific studies to obtain further insights for protective measures. The National League for Bird Protection in Bavaria supports a project to protect the Gobibären in Mongolia. There is a protection and information center will be established. The IUCN does not list the Gobibären as a subspecies, the population of brown bears in Mongolia but is performed in CITES Appendix 1.