Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the Trans-Altai Gobi Desert of Mongolia

Abstract

From ancient times Mongolians have had a custom to “worship” nature. The first law on the protection of environment was issued in the 12th century when Khaan Tooril of the Khereid aimag took over the protection of the Bogdkhan Mountain, which surrounds Ulaanbaatar, the present capital of Mongolia in the south. At present, there are 48 protected areas in Mongolia, covering 20.5 million hectares, 13.1 percent of the country’s territory. Among others they include twelve Strictly Protected Areas (SPA) (Oyungerel 2001). Two of these 12 SPAs are situated in the arid zone of Mongolia. Of these two, the Great Gobi SPA established in 1975 and announced in 1991 by UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program as a Biosphere Reserve is of special interest. It is the largest protected area in Asia and the fifth largest one in the world. There are 410 species of plants and 170 species of animals and birds in the area (Gunin et al. 1998). Included in the SPA is the unique Trans-Altai Gobi desert.