Plight of the Mazaalai to be publicized worldwide

As part of the “Action Plan for Mazaalai Conservation in 2013,” activities will be conducted to raise public awareness of the plight of the highly endangered Mazaalai (Gobi Bear) both in Mongolia and worldwide. The action plan was formulated by the Working Group on Mazaalai Conservation, which was appointed by the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Green Development.

The Working Group aims to make the Mazaalai as famous as the Panda. Various promotion activities will be initiated, including a documentary film, comic books about the Mazaalai, speech competitions amongst university students and a reality show (organized with ecology schools). The Working Group will also establish a website dedicated to raising public awareness in Mongolia regardng the near-extinct Mazaalai: www.mazaalai.mn

The Action Plan also includes a variety of activities designed to protect the remaining Mazaalai. These activities will include increasing the supply of water for the bears. The Action Plan aims to achieve this by placing three ground generators for cloud seeding in the Mazaalai habitat, to increase the amount of rain, and through providing water to the bears via two artesian wells that will be dug close to the areas of Mazaalai habitat.

In addition, activities will be conducted to increase the bears’ food supply. The Undesnii Bakharkhal (National Pride) NGO will be in charge of purchasing and delivering pellet fodder to the Great Gobi National Park, while the National Park Protection Officers will distribute the pellet fodder at 25 spots that the Mazaalai regularly visit. Furthermore, conservation officers will grow the types of plants that make up the main fodder of Mazaalai. The Mongolian NGO “Step to Rescue Mazaalai” will experiment in the planting of fodder at Ekh River this spring.

A recent census determined there are only 22 Mazaalai remaining in Mongolia. To monitor the number of bears, automatic digital cameras will be installed in the areas in which the bears live. So far, 15 automatic digital cameras have been put in place and an additional ten will be installed.

The Working Group will also study whether Mazaalai can be placed in foreign zoos, and if they can breed there. The relevant officials are also set to learn from foreign countries’ experiences in breeding endangered animals.

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