ecosystems. Droughts and severe winters are a cause of high mortality among livestock (Fernandez-Gimenez et al. 2012, 2015; Tachiiri and Shinoda 2012) and wild
animals (Kaczensky et al. 2011a).
Railways and Vulnerable Wild Animals in Mongolia
The Ulaanbaatar–Beijing Railway is an international railway that connects China
with Russia thorough Ulaanbaatar (Fig. 14.2). It was built in the 1950s and runs
from northwest to southeast; the section that is south of Ulaanbaatar crosses the
Gobi-Steppe Ecosystem. Barbed wire fences have been built on both sides of the
railway, mainly to prevent accidents with livestock. The influence of the railway on
wild animal movements and concomitant population declines has been a cause of
concern. Animals can suffer mortality directly when crossing the railway or indirectly because of barrier effects that prevent them from reaching suitable sites for
food, water, and reproduction. These concerns led to animal tracking studies (e.g.,
Ito et al. 2005, 2013a). Mammals inhabiting the grassland ecosystems of Mongolia
and showing long-distance movements that are potentially affected by the railway
are the Mongolian gazelle, the goitered gazelle, and the Asiatic wild ass (Fig. 14.2;
Mallon and Jiang 2009). Current train frequency on the railway is not high (about
1 train/h in daytime based on our rough observations), and freight trains are more
frequent than passenger trains.
Both historically and today, the Mongolian gazelle has had one of the longest
migrations among terrestrial animals (Berger 2004; Teitelbaum et al. 2015). Until
the 1930s, this species had a distribution that occupied most of the grasslands in
northern China, Mongolia, and southern Russia, but since then its distribution has
been reduced to the eastern half of Mongolia and to areas close to the border
between Mongolia, China, and Russia (Fig. 14.2; Jiang et al. 1998; Lhagvasuren
and Milner-Gulland 1997; Mallon 2008b). In the latest IUCN Red List, the
Mongolian gazelle is ranked as least concern (LC) due to population estimates over
the last 10 years ranging from 400,000 to 2,700,000 and because its range is
expanding toward the northwest (Mallon 2008b).
Mongolia has the largest population of goitered gazelles (40–50% of the global
population; Mallon 2008a). This species has a body size and morphology similar to
those of the Mongolian gazelle, but it does not form large herds, and details of its
ecology are still unknown. The Asiatic wild ass has lost 70% of its global range since
the 19th century, and at present, more than 75% of the population (about 55,000
animals) lives in Mongolia (Kaczensky et al. 2011a, 2015; Reading et al. 2001).
Movement Ecology of Mongolian Gazelles
Among ungulates, the Mongolian gazelle is the most well studied species in terms
of the impact of the Ulaanbaatar–Beijing Railway on its movements. Although the
species’ behavioral ecology has not been fully elucidated, Mongolian gazelles
232
T.Y. Ito et al.
animals (Kaczensky et al. 2011a).
Railways and Vulnerable Wild Animals in Mongolia
The Ulaanbaatar–Beijing Railway is an international railway that connects China
with Russia thorough Ulaanbaatar (Fig. 14.2). It was built in the 1950s and runs
from northwest to southeast; the section that is south of Ulaanbaatar crosses the
Gobi-Steppe Ecosystem. Barbed wire fences have been built on both sides of the
railway, mainly to prevent accidents with livestock. The influence of the railway on
wild animal movements and concomitant population declines has been a cause of
concern. Animals can suffer mortality directly when crossing the railway or indirectly because of barrier effects that prevent them from reaching suitable sites for
food, water, and reproduction. These concerns led to animal tracking studies (e.g.,
Ito et al. 2005, 2013a). Mammals inhabiting the grassland ecosystems of Mongolia
and showing long-distance movements that are potentially affected by the railway
are the Mongolian gazelle, the goitered gazelle, and the Asiatic wild ass (Fig. 14.2;
Mallon and Jiang 2009). Current train frequency on the railway is not high (about
1 train/h in daytime based on our rough observations), and freight trains are more
frequent than passenger trains.
Both historically and today, the Mongolian gazelle has had one of the longest
migrations among terrestrial animals (Berger 2004; Teitelbaum et al. 2015). Until
the 1930s, this species had a distribution that occupied most of the grasslands in
northern China, Mongolia, and southern Russia, but since then its distribution has
been reduced to the eastern half of Mongolia and to areas close to the border
between Mongolia, China, and Russia (Fig. 14.2; Jiang et al. 1998; Lhagvasuren
and Milner-Gulland 1997; Mallon 2008b). In the latest IUCN Red List, the
Mongolian gazelle is ranked as least concern (LC) due to population estimates over
the last 10 years ranging from 400,000 to 2,700,000 and because its range is
expanding toward the northwest (Mallon 2008b).
Mongolia has the largest population of goitered gazelles (40–50% of the global
population; Mallon 2008a). This species has a body size and morphology similar to
those of the Mongolian gazelle, but it does not form large herds, and details of its
ecology are still unknown. The Asiatic wild ass has lost 70% of its global range since
the 19th century, and at present, more than 75% of the population (about 55,000
animals) lives in Mongolia (Kaczensky et al. 2011a, 2015; Reading et al. 2001).
Movement Ecology of Mongolian Gazelles
Among ungulates, the Mongolian gazelle is the most well studied species in terms
of the impact of the Ulaanbaatar–Beijing Railway on its movements. Although the
species’ behavioral ecology has not been fully elucidated, Mongolian gazelles
232
T.Y. Ito et al.