Wildlife of Mongolia

Mongolia's wildlife includes some of Asia's rarest animals — snow leopards, wild Bactrian camels, Gobi bears and the Przewalski's horse, which was reintroduced to its native steppe in the 1990s — alongside huge herds of Mongolian gazelle and abundant birds of prey. With few people and large protected areas, Mongolia is one of the best places in Asia to watch wildlife in wide-open landscapes.

Iconic mammals of Mongolia

• Przewalski's horse (takhi) — the only wild horse that survives today. It had disappeared from the wild by the late 1960s and was reintroduced from zoo-bred herds from 1992 at Hustai National Park and Takhiin Tal in the Gobi, and later at Khomiin Tal in the west.
• Snow leopard — an elusive cat of the Altai, Gobi-Altai and other high ranges. Mongolia holds one of the largest populations in the world, but sightings take patience and expert trackers.
• Wild Bactrian camel (khavtgai) — a critically endangered species, distinct from domestic camels, found in the remote Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area.
• Gobi bear (mazaalai) — a desert-dwelling brown bear whose population is thought to number only a few dozen.
• Mongolian gazelle — vast herds roam the Eastern Steppe.
• Argali — the world's largest wild sheep, with massive curling horns — and Siberian ibex on rocky slopes.
• Saiga — a small population of the Mongolian saiga survives in the western basins.
• Grey wolves, red and corsac foxes, Pallas's cats and marmots, whose burrows dot the steppe.

Birds and fish

More than 400 bird species have been recorded in Mongolia. Birds of prey are everywhere: steppe eagles, cinereous vultures, black kites and the saker falcon, Mongolia's national bird. Golden eagles are famous for their role in Kazakh eagle hunting in Bayan-Ölgii. In summer, lakes and wetlands host demoiselle and white-naped cranes, whooper swans, bar-headed geese and Dalmatian pelicans. Yolyn Am in the Gobi is known for bearded vultures (lammergeiers) soaring above the gorge.

Northern rivers are home to the taimen, the world's largest member of the salmon family, which can grow well over a metre long. Taimen fishing is strictly regulated: catch-and-release is required by law, and anglers need a licence.

Where to see wildlife in Mongolia

• Hustai National Park — about 100 km west of Ulaanbaatar; the best place to see Przewalski's horses, usually at dawn or dusk, plus red deer and marmots.
• Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park — ibex and argali in the mountains, lammergeiers at Yolyn Am, and desert birds and reptiles.
• Lake Khövsgöl and the Darkhad region — forest mammals, waterbirds and taimen rivers.
• Altai Tavan Bogd and the western mountains — argali, ibex and, with luck and time, snow leopard.
• The Eastern Steppe — gazelle herds and cranes in a landscape few tourists see.

Responsible wildlife watching

• Keep your distance and never chase animals by vehicle; driving off-track damages fragile steppe and stresses wildlife.
• Hire local or specialist guides who know where animals feed and how to approach quietly.
• Protected areas usually charge an entrance fee and some zones need permits; check current rules with the park administration or your tour operator.
• Never buy products made from wild animals, such as furs, horns or bones; trading protected species is illegal.

Practical tips

• Bring binoculars and a telephoto lens: much wildlife viewing happens at long range.
• Early morning and evening are the best times to see most mammals.
• Spring and autumn bring bird migration; summer is easiest for travel; snow-leopard trips often run in winter, when tracks show clearly in the snow.