ANIMALS IN CENTRAL ASIA

goitered gazelles

Animals found in the Kara-Kum and Kyzl-Kum deserts include antelopes, wild cats, snakes, tortoises, lizards, goitered gazelle (“jeran”), gophers, sand rats, jerboas (small jumping rodents) and foxes. Animals found in the tungai swamp forests along the Amu Darya and Syr Darya include the caracal, badgers, jackals, wild boar, foxes and Bukhara deer. The tugai forests found along the Syr Dayra and Amu Darya are unique to the river valleys of Central Asia. They contain a very dense, jungle-like tangle or trees, shrubs and salt-resistant plants and creepers. Most of these forests have been cleared to accommodate cotton farming.

The last Caspian tiger was killed in an area of tungai north of Nukus in 1972. Several tiger attack on humans were recorded in the 19th century. Tigers were historically rarely considered dangerous unless provoked, though in the lower reaches of the Syr-Darya, a tiger reportedly killed a woman collecting firewood and an unarmed military officer whilst passing through reed thickets. Attacks on shepherds were recorded in the lower reaches of Ili.

An area along the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border is filled with foot prints of megalosaurs, huge meat-eating dinosaurs that lived 155 million years ago. One track is 1,020 feet long, the longest dinosaur track known. There is also evidence of a gathering with 31 individuals. It is believed that the dinosaurs came to the site to drink and left behind the prints in damp ground.

Because of their location in the central part of the Asian continent, the Mountains of Central Asia play an important connecting role in the distribution of many important montane Asian species. Perhaps the best-known symbol of this fauna is the snow leopard (Uncia uncia, EN), a species found in the alpine and subalpine zones of the hotspot. The species has declined here, as elsewhere, as a result of poaching for its valued fur and a depletion of its prey base through illegal hunting.

Six of the 140-odd mammals found in the Central Asia Mountains hotspot are endemic: Menzibier's marmot (Marmota menzbieri, VU), found only in the western Tien Shan above 2,000 meters, and Ili pika (Ochotona iliensis, VU), a small species of lagomorph found only in the Chinese portion of the Tien Shan; two susliks or ground squirrels (Spermophilus ralli and S. relictus); the Pamir shrew (Sorex bucharensis); and the Alai mole vole (Ellobius alaicus, EN), which is known only from the Alai Mountains in southern Kyrgyzstan. [Source: Conservation International, Critical Ecosysten Partnership Fund, CEPF,net] The hotspot also holds a variety of mountain ungulates, including three endemic subspecies of the argali wild sheep (Ovis ammon, VU), among them the Marco Polo sheep (O. a. polii), whose magnificent curling horns have made it a favored target of trophy hunters. The Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) is the most numerous and most widespread species, occurring in all parts of the area above the treeline, while the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), a typical Tibetan and Trans-Himalayan species, reaches the southeast corner of the hotspot.

Poaching is problem in Central Asia. The region is source for hunter birds for people in the Middle Eastern falconers. Musk deer are found in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. They are sometimes hunted for their musk glands. There are plans to maybe use the same or similar technology used to clone a gaur on the Bactrian deer. Bactrian deer DNA would be placed in the eggs of an ibex. See Asian Animals. On steppes there can be lots of termites and mosquitos as well as large swarms of insects and locust invasions.

Animals of the Steppe: Saiga, Hamsters, Gerbils

The steppes are well suited for wild grazing animals such as antelope, bison and domesticated animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. Large wild mammals are mostly gone except for antelope, deer and wolves. Animals found on the steppe include saiga (a type of small antelope), roe deer, wolves, foxes, badgers, ring-necked pheasants, partridges, black grouse, bustards, falcons, hawks, tortoises and hedgehogs.

Eurasian steppe belt in light blue

The Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica, CR), a species associated with the flat plains of central Asia, inhabits the lower elevations of mountains too. The antelope has experienced a dramatic decline since the 1970s due to habitat destruction and hunting.

In the steppes of Central Asia you will see wild hamsters, jerboas and gerbils. Gerbils and hopping jerboas are mostly vegetarians. They are active mostly at night and feed on tufts of grass and windblown seeds and pieces of vegetation that they can find. They are fed on by sand Cats, foxes, owls and other animals

David Attenborough wrote :The broad-leaved forests first developed in places where there was an abundance of rain and still today most require plenty of water at least during some part of the year if they are to maintain their hold. Around thirty million years ago they were more widespread than they are now. But then there was a steady cooling of the climate. Patterns of rainfall changed and wide expanses of the land became less well-watered. This gave the chance for a relatively new kind of plant to come into its own — grass. Slowly a green carpet spread across these ill-watered lands and some mammals ventured out of the forests in order to graze upon it. Many rodents that had gnawed seeds and roots and leaf buds in the forest, moved out on to the plains and became grass-eaters. [Source: “Life of Mammals” by David Attenborough]

Siberian dwarf hamsters of Central Asia have short lifespans and only a short time to reproduce and produce offspring. Like all mammals females can not release an egg while producing milk. To speed up the reproduction process a female gives off strong-smelling vaginal secretions the night before she gives birth. The secretions can attract males up to a quarter mile away. After giving birth the female has a three hour window of opportunity to get pregnant before she begins producing milk. In that time she emerges from her burrow mates quickly with a male attracted by her secretion. During the next 18 days she suckles her young while her new brood are developing inside her. On the eve of their birth she repeats the mating and suckling process again and gives birth again. Following this pattern she may give birth four times in her short life.

Griffins—lion-sized, winged creatures with beaked heads—were first conceived in Central Asia. Desert and steppe nomads may have got the idea for these creatures from fossils of ceratopsian dinosaurs.

Unique Biodiversity of the Central Asian Mountains

Taxonomic Group: A) Plants: 5,500 species, 1,500 endemic species, 27.3 percent endemism; B) Mammals: 143 species, 6 endemic species, 4.2 percent endemism; C) Birds: 489 species, 0 endemic species, 0.0 percent endemism; D) Reptiles: 59 species, 1 endemic species, 1.7 percent endemism; E) Amphibians: 7 species, 4 endemic species, 57.1 percent endemism; F) Freshwater Fishes: 27 species, 5 endemic species, 18.5 percent endemism. [Source: Conservation International, Critical Ecosysten Partnership Fund, CEPF,net]

Reptiles: Nearly 60 reptiles are found in the hotspot, though only one is endemic, a skink, Asymblepharus alaicus. Diversity is highest in the lower altitudes, in desert and semi-desert areas. There are ten species of Eremias lizards and eight toad-headed agamas (Phrynocephalus spp.).

Mountains of Central Asia, the Altain region to the north may also be included

Amphibians: Although only seven species of amphibians have been recorded, four of them are endemic, including a salamander (Ranodon sibiricus, EN) found only in the Dzhungarian Alatau Range at the northern end of the Tien Shan. One recently described species, the frog (Rana terentievi) is known only from southern Tajikistan, though they may also occur in adjacent parts of Afghanistan.

Freshwater Fishes: This arid hotspot has less than 30 freshwater fish species, five of which are endemic. Endemism is centered in the Lake Issyk-Kul Basin of Kyrgyzstan, which lacks outlets to connect it with any other bodies of water. In addition, the Kugitang blind cave fish (Troglocobitis starostini) is found only in a small area of the Kugitang Mountains at the southwestern end of the hotspot.

Invertebrates: Although a full inventory of invertebrates for the hotspot is lacking, there is a rich insect diversity in the alpine meadows. Eleven of 26 species of apollo butterflies known to occur in this hotspot are endemic. There are also 87 endemic mollusks, including the Kokand freshwater clam (Colletopterum kokandicum), which is restricted to one lake in the Fergana Valley.

Goitered Gazelles

Goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) are also known as black-tailed gazelles. They are native to Eurasia and found in a vast swath of Central Asia and the Middle East in Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, parts of Iraq and Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, northwestern China and Mongolia. Their common name and specific name (meaning "full below the throat") refers to the enlargement of the neck and throat of males during the mating season.[Source: Wikipedia]

There are estimated to be around 80,000 to 90,000 goitered gazelles in Central Asia and the Middle East. They form large herds. Small related groups break off from the herd at calving time. The large cylinder of cartilage that bulges from the male’s throat amplifies the bellowing call used to attract females and intimidate rivals in the mating season.

The lifespan of goitered gazelle in the wild can reach 12 years. In captivity they have lived up to 20 years. Their average lifespan in the wild is six years. Annual mortality rates vary in relation to sex and age class. Female mortality rates range between nine and 18 percent, whereas male mortality rates range between 27 and 58 percent. Mortality rates for calves and juveniles are highly variable, ranging between three and 58 percent. Mortality rates tend to be lowest during summer and highest during winter. Primary causes of death in goitered gazelles include deep snow and ice-covered ground, which severely limits forage availability during winter. Mortality is also caused by entrapment in drying asphalt, drowning, and car collisions. [Source: Catherine Cichon; Catherine Cichon; Yangshin Woo; Krystal Woo, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Saiga Antelope

saiga antelope

Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) are steppe animals with a strange-looking snout. True members of the antelope family, they are the size and shape of sheep and have large, bulbous eyes and a nose with a stubby trunk, large nostrils and mucous glands that are so are numerous and large they cause the animal's head to bulge. The purpose of the animals nose features is to warm and moisten the air and filter dust. Saiga are very efficient at converting steppe grasses to meat. Only male saiga antelope have horns. They are simple, amber-colored, straight spikes.

Saigas are medium-size “goat antelopes”. They are well adapted to the harsh conditions of the Eurasian steppe. Their thick hair insulates them in the winter and their elongated noses warm frigid winter air before it reaches the lungs. Their noses have downward-pointing nostrils that are thought to provide help in controlling body temperature, give the animals a keen sense of smell and filter dust. Their thick, wool coat in cinnamon buff, with paler underparts. It thickens considerably in the winter. They eat a variety of plants that grow in the dry steppe.

Saiga populations are concentrated in three main areas within central Asia: Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Kalmykia. They inhabit dry steppes, semi deserts and grasslands and in the past their range stretched from north of the Black Sea to Mongolia. Today they particularly concentrated around the northern Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan. Herds are found in grassy plains void of rugged terrain and hills.

Wild Goats and Sheep of Central Asia

Argali (Ovis ammon) are the world’s largest sheep. Also known as mountain sheep, they are native to the highlands and mountains of Central Asia, the Himalayas, Tibet, and the Altai region. They weigh between 43 and 356 kilograms (95 to 729 pounds) and have a shoulder height of 85 to 135 centimeters (three to four feet) . North American bighorn sheep may approach comparable weights but are normally considerably to be slightly smaller than by the argali. Argali have large corkscrew-shaped horns with rounded combat edges similar to those of North American bighorn sheep. Both males and female argali have horns. The horns of males can be up to 1.9 meters (six feet) in length when measured along the coil. Those of females are smaller.

Mouflon (Ovis gmelini) are the smallest wild sheep. Regarded as the ancestors of domesticated and resembling goats more than sheep, they are 1.1 to 1.3 meters (3.6 to 4.3 feet) in length, with a seven to 12 centimeter tail (2.7 to 4.7 inch) and weigh 25 to 55 kilograms (55 to 122 pounds). They have relatively long legs. Their coat is red-brown with a dark central back stripes, flanked by a paler “saddle” patch. Males are horned; some females have horns, while others are polled. The curved horns of males reaches 85 centimeters (2.7 feet) in length.

markhor

Markhor ( Capra falconeri) are one of the largest wild goats. Residing primarily in Afghanistan and the western Himalayas, they lives in mountainous regions at medium and high elevations, from 700 to 4000 meters (2,300 to 13,123 feet) , eating tussock grass in the summer and shrubby leaves and twigs on lower slopes in winter. Its reddish coat is short and smooth in the summer and gets longer and grayer in the winter. Males have a long beard and long hair on the throat, chest and shanks. Females have smaller fringes of long hair. Both sexes have horns which spiral upwards and are smaller on females and can reach a length of 1.6 meters (5 feet) among males but are generally only 25 centimeters (9 inches) among females. Markhor are 1.6 to 1.7 meters (5.2 to 5.7 feet) in length, with an eight to 14 centimeter (3.2 to 5.5 inch) tail and weigh 80 to 110 kilograms (176 to 232 pounds). Females are smaller than males. Their lifespan in the wild is typically 11 to 13 years.

Ibex are wild goats that live in the mountainous regions of Europe, north central Asia and northern Africa. There are five species of ibex, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Other sources list six or more. They have long, curved horns and cloven hooves. Males have long beards. Ibex are related to antelopes, buffalo, bison, cattle, goats and sheep. About 8,000 to 10,000 years ago in southwest Asia and the Middle East, humans began domesticating wild goats. [Source: Alina Bradford, Live Science, July 23, 2014]

Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) are also known as Asian ibexes. Inhabiting long and vast mountain systems of the central Asian deserts and the northwestern Himalayas, they stand .8 to one meter (2.5 to 3.3 feet) at shoulder, and weighs an average 60 kilograms (132 pounds. Adult males have long pointed beards and scimitar-shaped horns with prominent ridges on the frontal surface. Their coat is dark brown with greyish underparts. A stripe runs across the back from neck to tail. Adult males also have grey saddle patches on their backs. Females are smaller with small straight horns that are widely separated at the base. Siberian ibex are widely distributed over an area stretching from the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan to Sayan Mountains in Mongolia. They animals are found most often at elevations ranging from 3000 to 5300 meters (9,842 to 17,900 feet) are occasionally soppted as low as 1000 meters (3930 feet) in the Altai Mountains. Their main anti-predator strategy is to hang out in rugged terrain. [Source: Wikipedia]

Foxes of Central Asia

Corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac) are also known as corsacs and the steppe foxes. They are medium-sized foxes found in steppes, semi-deserts and deserts in Central Asia, Mongolia and northern China. Unlike red fox, corsac fox lacks the penetrating odor common to other Vulpes. Since 2004, it has been classified as least concern by IUCN, but populations fluctuate significantly, and numbers can drop tenfold within a single year. Their average lifespan in captivity is 13 years. The word "corsac" is derived from the Russian name for the animal, "korsák", which in turn comes from Turkic "karsak".

corsac fox

Rüppell's foxes (Vulpes rueppellii) are also called Rüppell's sand foxes. They are a fox species that lives in desert and semi-desert regions of North Africa, the Middle East, and southwestern Asia. They are named after the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell (1794-1884). About a dozen and half species bear his name. Rüppell’s fox can also be spelled Ruppell’s fox or Rueppell’s fox. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they have no special status.

Blanford's foxes (Vulpes cana) are also known as Afghan foxes, royal foxes, dog foxes, hoary foxes, steppe foxes, black foxes, king foxes, cliff foxes and Balochistan fox. They are small foxes native to West Asia, Central Asia and parts of South Asia. They are named after the English naturalist William Thomas Blanford, who described them in 1877. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern.

Steppe Polecats

Steppe polecats (Mustela eversmanii) are also known as white or masked polecats. They are a species of mustelid (weasels, badgers, otters, polecats and martens) native to the Eurasia steppes that stretch from Eastern Europe across Central Asia to East Asia. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern. As they have a wide distribution, live in protected areas, and can tolerate habitat modification. [Source: Wikipedia

Steppe polecats inhabit a variety of moderately dry habitats, including steppes, semi-deserts, pastures, and cultivated fields and tend to avoid forested habitats They live throughout Russia. In Central Asia they are found in northern Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and northern and western China. In eastern Europe they reside in Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Steppe polecats shelter in burrows, hollow trees, dense vegetation, rock crevices, or abandoned buildings during the day, even known to take shelter in the burrows of their prey. [Source: Eric Dubbelde, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

steppe polecat

Steppe polecats have long slender bodies like other species in the Mustela genus. They range in weight from 1.35 to two kilograms (3 to 4.4 pounds) and have a head and body length that ranges from 29 to 56 centimeters (11 to 22 inches). They generally light yellowish in color, with dark limbs and a dark mask across the face. Compared to its relative, the European polecat, the steppe polecat is larger in size and has a more powerfully built skull. Steppe polecats generally have dark fur on their back that becomes progressively lighter toward their undersides. Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is not present: Both sexes are roughly equal in size and look similar. The lifespan of steppe polecats has not been documented. Close relatives, ferrets, live from four to five years in the wild and eight to 10 years in captivity. /=\

Marmots and Pikas

Marmots (genus Marmota) are giant ground squirrels found primarily in North America and Eurasia. Marmots are the heaviest members of the squirrel family. There are 14 species of them. Some marmot species live in mountainous areas, such as the Deosai Plateau in Pakistan and Ladakh in India and the Alps, Carpathians and Tatras in Europe. Other species prefer rough grassland and can be found widely across the Eurasian Steppe. Slightly smaller and more social prairie dogs are not classified in the genus Marmota; they are in the related genus Cynomys. [Source: Wikipedia]

Pikas are small, mostly mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America, with most of the 30 species in Asia. They have short limbs, very round bodies, even coats of fur, and no external tail. They resemble their close relatives rabbit, but have short, rounded ears. Typically, pikas live for only a few years in the wild and many pikas do not live through their first winter.

Pikas are among the highest-dwelling mammals. They have been observed on high slopes of Mt. Everest. According to the Guinness Book of Records in the 1980s, they were the highest living animal in the world. A pika has been observed at an elevation of 6,130 meters (20,113 feet). Now, the yellow-rumped leaf-eared mouse is recognized as highest living animal. It has has been documented living at 6,740 meters (22,110 feet) in the Andes Mountains of northern Chile. This mouse species is a small, long-tailed rodent with unique adaptations to the high-altitude environment.

Long-Eared Hedgehogs

long-eared hedgehog

Long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus) are cute, interesting animals that are easily tamed and sometimes kept as pets. Having an average lifespan in captivity of 6.8 years, they inhabit deserts and arid steppes much of Central Asia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Afghanistan, parts of India, Russian, southeastern Russia, Xinjiang in China and Mongolia. For shelter, they commonly burrow under small bushes and rest by day under rocks, rock heaps or hollows. They are also host to numerous parasites and can carry diseases as serious as the plague and Boutonneuse fever so it is highly recommended that if you get one as a pet you get it from a respected dealer. [Source: Liz Ballenger, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Long-eared hedgehogs on average weigh 34 grams (12 ounces) and have a head and body of 12 to 27 centimeters (4.7 to 10.6 inches), with a one to five centimeter tail. The spines are banded with dark brown and white, and the underparts are whitish. The ears are much larger than those of other hedgehogs (longer than half the length of it head) and are considered a development for heat radiation in the desert. Long-eared desert hedgehogs also have acute senses of hearing and smell, which they use to locate food and detect predators Their average basal metabolic rate is 0.845 watts. /=\

According to Animal Diversity Web: Although Long-eared hedgehogs possesses sharp spines on its back that protect it from predators, it is also able to run very fast. Long-eared hedgehogs dig their own burrows which are approximately 45 centimeters long and have a single opening. They have also been observed to use the burrows of other small mammals. Hedgehogs are solitary and sleep rolled up individually in their burrows, except during the breeding season when females keep offspring with them. Long-eared hedgehogs are nocturnal (active at night), and they may wander up to nine kilometers a night in search of food. They often enter periods of torpor in the summer and in some areas they hibernate in the winter. Presence of the spines on hedgehogs have often led people to wonder how mating is accomplished. In Long-eared hedgehogs, the male copulates by standing almost vertically on his hind legs while the female lays on her ventrum with hind legs extended on the ground. /=\

Long-eared hedgehogs breeds only once a year, generally between July and September, and females have between 1-4 offspring per litter. Gestation is 35-42 days; the young's eyes open after one week, and baby hedgehogs eat solid food after three weeks. Baby hedgehogs are born naked except for sparsely scattered spines, which are very soft. The spines quadruple in length within five hours after birth and after two weeks, the babies are fully covered with them. Very little is known about their life cycle (such as weaning, age at sexual maturity or life span in the wild). On average females reach sexual or reproductive maturity at 213 days. /=\

The long-eared desert hedgehog is omnivorous but feeds mainly on small invertebrates and insects. Favorite foods include grasshoppers, beetles, and other insects. They also consume eggs, fruit, vegetables and even small vertebrates such as lizards and snakes. They are remarkably resistant to scarcity of food and water; in the laboratory they have survived as long as ten weeks without food and water. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as a species of Least Concern

Wild Cats of Central Asia

long-eared hedgehog range

Sand cats (Felis margarita) are five-pound predators found in the northern Sahara, the Middle East, Central Asia and Pakistan. Little is known about because them because they are shy, active mostly at night and their habitat is so harsh and unwelcoming to humans. They are rarely seen. Few live beyond a year in captivity. [Canon advertisement in March 1993 National Geographic].

Pallas’s cats (Felis manul or Otocolobus manul) are stocky, flat-faced, short-legged cats that range over over a large area of steppes, cold deserts and mountains in an area from the Caspian Sea and western Iran to western China and southeast Siberia. Named after the German naturalist Peter Pallas, they are very furry and have been described as the world's grumpiest cats based on the way their face naturally looks. Their solitary nature, superb camouflage, and remote habitat means they’re rarely spotted in the wild by humans. Their average life span is around 11-12 years.

Caracals (Caracal caracal) are the largest of the small wild cats. They are nocturnal predator with distinctive long ears that have long tufts of black hair at their tips. They stand about 37 to 50 centimeters (15 to 20 inches) at the shoulder, weigh 11 to 20 kilograms (25 to 45 pounds) and reach lengths of 1.3 meters (four feet) including a 30 centimeter (one foot) tail. They vary in color from silver grey to tawny to brick red.

15,000 Years Ago, Probably in Asia, the Dog Was Born

A study released in 2015 suggests that modern dogs likely originated from gray wolves from Central Asia. Laura M. Shannon and Adam R. Boyko at Cornell University, and an international group of other scientists, studied not only purebred dogs, but also street or village dogs, who make up about 75 percent of world's one billion dogs. [Source: James Gorman, New York Times, October 19, 2015 ]

James Gorman wrote in the New York Times, “Dr. Shannon analyzed three different kinds of DNA, Dr. Boyko said, the first time this has been done for such a large and diverse group of dogs, more than 4,500 dogs of 161 breeds and 549 village dogs from 38 countries. That allowed the researchers to determine which geographic groups of modern dogs were closest to ancestral populations genetically. And that led them to Central Asia as the place of origin for dogs in much the same way that genetic studies have located the origin of modern humans in East Africa.

“The analysis, Dr. Boyko said, pointed to Central Asia, including Mongolia and Nepal, as the place where “all the dogs alive today” come from. The data did not allow precise dating of the origin, he said, but showed it occurred at least 15,000 years ago. They reported their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Greger Larson of Oxford University, who is leading an international effort to analyze ancient DNA from fossilized bones, said he was impressed by the scope of the study. “It’s really great to see not just the sheer number of street dogs, but also the geographic breadth and the number of remote locations where the dogs were sampled,” he said. He also praised the sampling of different kinds of DNA and the analytic methods.

“But in the world of dog studies, very little is definitive. The most recent common ancestor of today’s dogs lived in Central Asia, Dr. Boyko said, although he cannot rule out the possibility that some dogs could have been domesticated elsewhere and died out. Or dogs domesticated elsewhere could have gone to Central Asia from somewhere else and then diversified into all the canines alive today, he said. Dr. Larson, who was not involved with the study, said he thought the Central Asia finding required further testing. He said he suspected that the origins of modern dogs were “extremely messy” and that no amount of sampling of living populations would be definitive. He said a combination of studies of modern and ancient DNA was necessary.

“Dr. Boyko said the research for the first time studied three sources of DNA from purebred and village dogs worldwide. The team analyzed DNA from all the chromosomes in the cell nucleus, from the Y chromosome specifically, found only in males, and from mitochondria, cellular energy machines outside the nucleus that are inherited from the mother. Dr. Boyko traveled to a number of the locations where blood was drawn from village dogs. He said: “The great thing about working with dogs is that if you show up with food you don’t usually have trouble recruiting subjects. Usually.” He added: “We showed up in Puerto Rico at a fishing village and the dogs turned up their noses at roast beef sandwiches. They were used to eating fish entrails.”“

Birds of Central Asia

Birds of prey do well on the steppes of Central Asia. They feed on rodents on other small mammals that thrive in the tussocky grass of the steppe. In Tashkent you can see magpies and swifts. There are also several crane species. Demoiselle cranes are known as the lovely birds by the people of Mongolia. They are smaller than most crane species and are among the most widespread, nesting across a wide swath of the Eurasian steppe. Demoiselle cranes reach altitudes of 24,000 feet when they cross the Hindu Kush mountains during their fall and spring migrations between nesting grounds in Central Asia and warmer, wintering areas in India. Demoiselle cranes winter in western Rajasthan.

Although nearly 500 bird species occur regularly in The Mountains of Central Asia Biodiversity Hotspot — which consists of two of Asia's major mountain ranges, the Pamir and the Tien Shan — none are endemic to the region. Many species belong to genera typical of the high ranges of Asia, such as redstarts (Phoenicurus), accentors (Prunella) and rosefinches (Carpodacus). Coniferous forests on the northern side of the Tien Shan form the southern limits of several boreal species, including the black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) and northern hawk owl (Surnia ulula), while desert birds, including the great bustard (Otis tarda, VU) and houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulate, VU) occur in the low-altitude zones. [Source: Conservation International, Critical Ecosysten Partnership Fund, CEPF,net]

Central Asia is home of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), eastern imperial eagles (A. heliaca, VU), steppe eagles (A. rapax), booted eagles (Hieraaetus pennatus). The mountains of Central Asia are an important stronghold for birds of prey, with important breeding populations of several species, including eastern imperial eagles, golden eagles, steppe eagles, booted eagle. lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), black vulture (Aegypius monachus), Eurasian griffon (Gyps fulvus), Himalayan griffon (G. himalayensis), peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and saker falcon (F. cherrug, EN).

Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are also known as common leopard geckos. They are ground-dwelling reptiles native to the rocky dry grassland and desert regions of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. They are popular pets, and due to extensive captive breeding they are sometimes referred to as the first domesticated species of lizard. Most of those sold at pet stores are believed to be captive bred, with a mainly Pakistani ancestry. The average lifespan for females in captivity is 4.9 years. Individuals have lived up to 22 years. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as Not Evaluated. [Source: Wikipedia, Vickie Woods, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Leopard geckos have irregular black spots usually on yellow background and white undersides. Adults grow to approximately 22 centimeters (8 inches) and may reach 27 centimeters (10 inches) but this is rare. Leopard geckoes have a segmented tail which may be autotomized (discarded, as a self-defense mechanism to elude a predator) and movable eyelids with a vertical slit pupil unlike many geckoes. They also lack toe pads, having clawed toes instead. Due to the structure of their ear, when viewed from the side, light shines right through the gecko's head. Due to their popularity in the pet trade, color patterns — such as the "high color" or "yellow phase" where very little black or purple markings are found on a bright yellow ground, as well as "chocolate" leopard geckoes, and "albino" geckoes, which simply lack yellow and brown colors — have been selected bred. No real albino leopard geckoes have been seen.

Leopard geckoes are nocturnal (active at night). They shelter under rocks or in burrows in daylight. During periods of activity, these gecko tends to be inquisitive. Although they are ground-dwelling species, they use their clawed toes to climb rocks and branches where they can easily absorb heat. Leopard geckoes periodically their skin and eats the discarded skin. Leopard geckoes are very adaptable eaters, and are known to eat scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and beetles in the wild . In captivity, they are fed crickets, mealworms, waxworms, pinkie or nestling mice, locusts, grasshoppers, and springtails. /=\

Females prefer damp, humid environments for egg laying, and bury the eggs in the substrate . Clutches usually consist of two eggs and healthy females produce as many as six clutches per year. The eggs are approximately 2.8 x 1,5 centimeters and hatch after 45-53 days at 28 degrees Celsius. Sex is determined by temperature. Hatchlings are about 8.5 centimeters long. On average males and females reach sexual or reproductive maturity at around 13 months.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, CNTO (China National Tourism Administration) David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.

Last updated April 2025