Where is Asiatic wild ass found ?

The Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), specifically the subspecies known as the Indian wild ass or 'Khur' (Equus hemionus khur), is found in the Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat [1][t1]. It is the only known population of this species in India, inhabiting the saline depressions, grasslands, and arid plains of the Great and Little Rann [2][c2]. The Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary, established in 1973, covers over 4,900 sq. km of the Little Rann of Kachchh to protect this near-threatened animal [t1][t4]. While other options like Kaziranga are famous for the one-horned rhino [c3][c4], and Periyar for elephants and tigers [c5][t8], the Rann of Kachchh remains the exclusive natural habitat for the wild ass in India [c1][t5]. Conservation efforts have successfully increased their population from a few hundred in the 1960s to over 6,000 individuals today [t4][t5].

Sources

1. [1] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and Wildlife > WILDLIFE > p. 43
2. [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > G.$l+=Ifi iH,U#,llifi > p. 29