After 65 Years Away, These Beautiful Wild Creatures Are Finally Coming Home

Quick Smiles:

• Asiatic wild ass (khulan) spotted returning to eastern Mongolia after 65-year absence
• Conservation efforts removing railway fencing barriers allow ancient migration routes to reopen
• Wildlife comeback proves nature heals when humans restore freedom to roam

A heartwarming conservation victory is unfolding across the Mongolian steppes, where the majestic Asiatic wild ass—known locally as the khulan—is finally returning home after more than six decades of forced separation. These beautiful creatures, absent from eastern Mongolia since the 1950s, are once again galloping freely across landscapes their ancestors roamed for thousands of years.

For 65 years, fencing along the Trans-Mongolian Railway created an invisible wall that divided populations and blocked ancient migration routes critical for survival. The khulan, a close relative of the domestic donkey but wild and free-spirited, simply couldn’t cross these barriers to reach vital grazing lands and water sources.

But conservationists refused to give up hope. Recent collaborative efforts between the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Mongolia and local communities have focused on modifying and removing sections of railway fencing that acted as barriers. These efforts are creating safe passages that allow khulan and other migratory species to move naturally across the landscape once more.

The results have been nothing short of miraculous. Multiple khulan individuals have been documented crossing into eastern Mongolia, and researchers are observing clear signs that these pioneers are establishing breeding populations. Young foals have been spotted alongside adults—a sure sign that these magnificent animals are reclaiming their ancestral homeland for good.

The khulan’s return represents more than just the comeback of a single species. These wild asses play a vital ecological role, maintaining grassland health through grazing patterns and serving as prey for endangered predators. Their presence indicates a landscape recovering its natural balance—a true restoration of wilderness that benefits countless other species.

Mongolia’s steppes represent one of Earth’s last great intact grassland ecosystems, and the khulan is an iconic symbol of these wide-open spaces. Watching them thunder across the plains in herds, manes flying and hooves drumming the earth, reminds us of what wildness truly means.

This conservation success story offers powerful proof that when humans work together to remove barriers—both literal and figurative—nature responds with resilience and hope. The khulan’s journey home after 65 years shows us that it’s never too late to right past wrongs and restore what was lost.

As these beautiful wild horses continue to expand their range and rebuild their numbers, they carry with them a message of optimism: with dedication, collaboration, and respect for the natural world, we can heal landscapes and bring wildlife back from the brink.

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