Onager

Equus hemionus

Size: 2–2.5 m · 200–260 kg
Diet: Herbivore
Activity: Diurnal
Sociality: Herd
Lifespan: —

Onager is a swift, slender wild ass of Asian drylands. Hunting, competition with livestock, and loss of water access reduced the range in many areas.

View in catalog

Key facts

Onager (Equus hemionus) is a herbivore animal classified as Mammal · Perissodactyla · Equidae.
Primary habitats are desert · grassland · mountains, with a range across Palearctic.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is herd, and conservation status is NT (Near Threatened).
Onager is a swift, slender wild ass of Asian drylands.
It inhabits deserts, semideserts, and dry grasslands from Central Asia to the Middle East.

Sources

wikidata.org

Range

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It inhabits deserts, semideserts, and dry grasslands from Central Asia to the Middle East. Main habitat types in this guide are desert, grassland, mountain.

Appearance

Typical length 200-250 cm, weight 200 kg-260 kg. Long legs, pale coat, and a dark dorsal stripe give it a lean wild-ass profile.

Behavior

It is diurnal and a herd-forming species. Herds or small groups range widely through arid landscapes in search of water and forage.

Feeding

It is herbivorous. Grasses, shrubs, and tough desert plants are grazed or browsed.

Reproduction

Females bear single foals that stand quickly and follow the group.

Notes

Declines or fragmentation make monitoring important. Hunting, competition with livestock, and loss of water access reduced the range in many areas.