Mammals · Perissodactyla · Equidae

Asiatic Wild Ass

Equus hemionus

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

It can reach 70 km/h, making it one of the fastest wild equids in the world. Unlike other polygynous equids, it tends to form stable monogamous pairs.

Weight

230 kg on average

Size

2 m – 2.6 m

Lifespan

6 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

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Fun facts

  • It can reach 70 km/h, one of the fastest wild equids in the world.
  • It tends to form stable monogamous pairs, unlike other equids.
  • Its wild population has fallen by 52% in 16 years.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type
Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment
Steppe, semi-desert and arid plains of Central Asia, Mongolia and the Indian subcontinent
Birth weight
Exact weight not found as a precise figure
Size at birth
Precocial, able to run soon after birth, as all equids are
Sexual maturity
Female: ~3 years | Male: ~3-4 years (though a first successful birth is delayed to 5 in some populations)
Gestation / incubation
11-12 months (339 days)
Litter / clutch size
1 young, with more than a year between births
Lifespan in captivity
Documented record of up to 26-31.6 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge; Animal Diversity Web; IUCN Equid Specialist Group; A-Z Animals; Wikipedia; Animalia.bio; Animal Information

Best time: All year round on the steppes and semi-deserts of Mongolia, China, Iran and India; in summer it gathers near the few waterholes.

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Where to watch it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Asiatic Wild Ass — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

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Based on what we already know about asiatic wild ass.

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