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Review of Gobi bear research (Ursus arctos gobiensis, Sokolov and Orlov, 1992)

Arid Ecosystems volume 6, pages 206–212 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis, Sokolov, Orlov, 1992) is endangered and occurs only in isolated populations in the Southwestern part of Mongolia. It is listed in the Red book of Mongolia (1987, 1997, 2013) and is registered in Annex I of the Convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES, 1991). Hunting for the Gobi bear is prohibited by law in 1953, nowadays it is protected in the Great Gobi reserve. The article provides generalized information about habitat, behavior, diet, and mortality of Gobi bear. The research also touched upon the peculiarities of its historical distribution in Gobi (and the subsequent loss of habitat), movement, size, and taxonomic status. Previous analysis of mitochondrial DNA (Galbreath et al., 2007; McCarthy et al., 2009) showed that Gobi bear is similar to the subspecies Ursus arctos Preliminary analysis based on nuclear microsatellite markers indicates that Gobi bear is actually can be a separate subspecies of Ursus arctos gobiensis (Tumendemberel et al., 2015а). The analysis of 2835 places of encounters of five bears using GPS for the period from 2005 to 2009 has allowed estimating that within the Great Gobi reserve for the habitat of the Gobi bear suitable territory is about 23619.18 km2. The current habitat is likely reduced by 60% from historical range. Based on the telemetry data and the results of genetic analyses, the current distribution of bears in the Gobi desert was estimated. Adult females have moved around an area of about 514 km2 within 1009–1532 m above sea level around Shar Khuls oasis. Adult males moved through the area about 2465–2485 km2; altitudinal limits of 1122–1492 m. International Team Project on Gobi bear, together with researchers from the Gobi bear Fund, Institute of General and Experimental biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the administration of the Great Gobi reserve in 2005 have used camera traps to estimate population size of Gobi bear. It is established that on the reserve territory at least 18 bears were including 7 males, 4 females, and 2 calves (Amgalan et al., 2005). Using genetic analyses (DNA microsatellites) from more than 1000 hair samples taken near 14 springs, it was calculated that during 2008–2009, these springs were visited by 22–31 individuals of Gobi bear, of which at least 14 males and 8 females (Tumendemberel et al., 2015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, pr. Mira 54b, Ulaanbaatar, 210351, Mongolia

    Amgalan Luvsamjamba & Adiya Yansanjav

  2. International Gobi Bear Project Team, Fairbanks, PO Box 80843, AK, 99708, USA

    Harry Reynolds

  3. Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Approach to Maintaining Water Security in Critical Water Catchments in Mongolia, 202 ESC Center, Molodezhnaya av. 2B, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Tuya Tserenbataa & Odbayar Tumendemberel

  4. Mongolian Ministry of Environment, Green Development, Tourism, ul. Ob”edinennykh Natsii 5/2, Ulaanbaatar, 151600, Mongolia

    Bayasgalan Amgalan

Authors
  1. Amgalan Luvsamjamba
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  2. Harry Reynolds
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  3. Adiya Yansanjav
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  4. Tuya Tserenbataa
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  5. Bayasgalan Amgalan
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  6. Odbayar Tumendemberel
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Correspondence to Adiya Yansanjav.

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Luvsamjamba, A., Reynolds, H., Yansanjav, A. et al. Review of Gobi bear research (Ursus arctos gobiensis, Sokolov and Orlov, 1992). Arid Ecosyst 6, 206–212 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096116030021

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2079096116030021

Keywords

  • Mongolia
  • Gobi bear
  • the habitat
  • abundance
  • genetic analysis