CONSERVATION OF WILD CAMEL IN MONGOLIA

As a safeguard against the extinction of the Wild Camel (Camelus ferus) in Mongolia and China, the Wild Camel Protection Foundation established a captive Wild Camel breeding program in Mongolia. This remains the only program of its kind in the world. The initiative received full support from the Mongolian Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, which made land available in the buffer zone of the Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area, the only natural habitat of the Wild Camel in Mongolia.

In 2003, the Wild Camel Breeding Center at Zakhyn Us was established. The center serves several vital purposes. It safeguards wild camels from extinction in the wild and supports scientific research that deepens our understanding of the species’ biology, behavior, and unique adaptations to extreme desert environments.

The Wild Camel Protection Foundation UK supported the establishment of the Wild Camel Protection Foundation Mongolia and fully funds all of its operations, including the complete costs of running the breeding centers.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding, the Wild Camel Protection Foundation UK cooperates with Prague Zoo on the conservation of Wild Camels in Mongolia. Prague Zoo contributes many years of experience working in Mongolia, including the successful reintroduction of the Takhi horse, and holds an agreement with the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism to work with all mammals within this protected area.

Captive breeding has proven to be highly successful. Each spring, between four and five healthy Wild Camel calves are born at the breeding center. The Foundation is deeply grateful for the support of zoos around the world that keep domestic Bactrian camels and help raise awareness of the work of the Wild Camel Protection Foundation.

On the advice of Wild Camel scientists, a second breeding center was opened at Toli Bulag in 2024. This 65-hectare site is also located within the buffer zone of the Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area, within the habitat of the remaining Wild Camel population. In September 2024, two breeding age male Wild Camels and seven breeding age females were transported by truck over a distance of 300 kilometers to this new center. With the establishment of this facility, there are now two wild camel breeding centers, which will allow for greater control of genetic management.

The creation of this second breeding center also establishes an essential insurance population. Should disease, habitat loss, or other unforeseen events affect the remaining Wild Camel populations, either in the wild or at the original breeding center, this new facility will serve as a critical last refuge. Unlike many other endangered animals, Wild Camels do not exist in zoos worldwide, making these two breeding centers the only lifelines for their survival.