The Tibetan Wild Ass is the largest species among wild asses in China and is also a large hoofed animal that is highly endangered. It originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is distributed in the western region of the country.
Recently, a reporter captured rare photos of Tibetan wild asses near Donggetsona Lake in Maduo County, Guoluo Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Nearly a hundred Tibetan wild asses gathered together and occasionally galloped across the grasslands, creating spectacular scenes.
The Tibetan Wild Ass is the largest species among wild asses in China and is also a rare large hoofed animal. They originate from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and are found in the western regions of China.
As animals capable of enduring strong sun, wind, cold, and drought, they are often regarded by many wild adventure enthusiasts as survival experts in the animal kingdom.
Nearly a hundred Tibetan wild asses gathered together.
Donggetsona Lake is a famous lake in Qinghai and is regarded by the local Tibetan people as a “sacred lake.”
The average altitude near Donggetsona Lake is over 4,000 meters, surrounded by an endless grassland with lush aquatic plants, supporting the life of many different animal species.
The Tibetan Wild Ass stands out in this area; they prefer to live and forage in herds that can number in the hundreds.
In terms of appearance, the Tibetan Wild Ass resembles the Mongolian Wild Ass, but Tibetan wild asses are larger, weighing between 250-400 kg when fully grown, with an average shoulder height of 1.4 meters and a body length of 1.8 meters.
The Tibetan Wild Ass is a resilient animal capable of enduring harsh conditions.
Additionally, compared to the Mongolian Wild Ass, they have shorter heads, longer ears, a black and blunt mouth. The fur on the back of the Tibetan Wild Ass is reddish-brown, while the fur on the belly and limbs is white, though not pure white, creating a distinct line of demarcation on the sides.
As a member of the equine family, the Tibetan Wild Ass also has a dark mane on its neck, but unlike horses, the mane of the Tibetan Wild Ass is shorter and upright.
Among the species of donkeys, the Tibetan Wild Ass has a very strong and majestic posture, with a muscular body. Its limbs and hooves are significantly thicker than those of domesticated donkeys, which is why locals sometimes refer to the Tibetan Wild Ass as “wild horse.”
The Tibetan Wild Ass is extremely competitive.
In fact, distinguishing a donkey from a horse is quite simple. The easiest way is to look at the ears, tail, and mane. Donkeys have long ears, while horses have small ears; donkeys have short tails, while horses have long tails; and donkey manes are upright while horse manes hang down.
The term “stubborn donkey” is often used to describe a person’s obstinate nature, but the temperament of the Tibetan Wild Ass is in a completely different league – they are extremely competitive. These wild donkeys enjoy racing against other animals, even cars.
Among the species of donkeys, the Tibetan Wild Ass has a very strong and majestic stance.
When people drive cars past the location of the Tibetan Wild Ass, they will stare at the vehicle, and as the car gets closer, the Tibetan wild asses seem to be provoked, and their anger rises immediately, prompting them to chase the vehicles along the way.
When the Tibetan Wild Ass catches up with the car, they do not stop; instead, they continue running to surpass the vehicles before finally letting go.
Some individuals, upon learning of this habit of the Tibetan Wild Ass, occasionally drive by to provoke them, igniting their competitive spirit, and then race with the Tibetan Wild Ass at maximum speed.
In fact, this practice is misguided. Although the Tibetan Wild Ass is agile and has good endurance, it is still a living creature. Competing at high speeds for prolonged periods will cause significant harm to their bodies and could lead to adverse consequences.
They have relatively high endurance in harsh environments.
The Tibetan Wild Ass primarily inhabits high-altitude desert areas where the environment is relatively harsh, so they have inherently developed strong survival capabilities.
They have relatively high endurance in harsh conditions; even in some arid regions like deserts, they can utilize their survival instincts to thrive.
The Tibetan Wild Ass possesses a very important skill: they can dig for water. Their hooves are not only capable of running but can also dig into the ground, creating wells. They can excavate holes several meters deep to find water sources.
The water holes dug by the Tibetan Wild Ass are referred to by local herders as “donkey wells.” These wells not only solve the drinking water problem for themselves but also provide water for many other animals. Therefore, in some regions of the western part, the Tibetan Wild Ass plays a very important role.
Running is essential for the Tibetan Wild Ass.
The Tibetan Wild Ass lives in open areas with no shelter in their habitat. Furthermore, they are often preyed upon by the Northwest Wolf. The Northwest Wolf is also a proficient predator that excels at chasing, so the wild asses have only one way to avoid being caught and killed, which is to run.
Running is crucial for the Tibetan Wild Ass and for other hoofed animals in such habitats. Thus, their daily activities, besides foraging, drinking, and resting, include running as a very important part.
Like blue sheep, the Tibetan Wild Ass has a very bad habit of being curious. When chased by predators, they will run a certain distance, then stop and turn back to see if the predator is catching up, and then continue running.
