Kiang
Equus kiang
The kiang, native to the Tibetan Plateau, is the largest of the wild asses!
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Kiang Scientific Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Perissodactyla
- Family
- Equidae
- Genus
- Equus
- Scientific Name
- Equus kiang
Read our Complete Guide to Classification of Animals.
Kiang Conservation Status
Kiang Locations
Kiang Facts
- Name Of Young
- Foal
- Group Behavior
- Herd
- Solitary/Herd
- Fun Fact
- The kiang, native to the Tibetan Plateau, is the largest of the wild asses!
- Estimated Population Size
- 60,000 to 70,000
- Biggest Threat
- Human activity, particularly regarding livestock
- Other Name(s)
- Kyang; Tibetan wild ass
- Gestation Period
- 12 months
- Habitat
- Alpine grasslands; Alpine and desert steppes; Elevations from 2,700 to 5,400 meters (Approximately 8,900 to 17,700 feet)
- Predators
- Wolves
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Average Litter Size
- 1
- Lifestyle
- Diurnal
- Herd
- Diurnal/Nocturnal
- Favorite Food
- Grasses and sedges
- Common Name
- Kiang; Kyang; Tibetan wild ass
- Number Of Species
- 1
- Location
- The Tibetan Plateau, with range in China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and possibly Bhutan
- Group
- Herd
Kiang Physical Characteristics
- Color
- Brown
- Red
- White
- Chestnut
- Skin Type
- Fur
- Lifespan
- 20 years in the wild; 30 years in captivity
- Weight
- 550 to 880 pounds
- Height
- 52 to 56 inches at the withers
- Length
- 72 to 84 inches
- Age of Sexual Maturity
- 2 years
- Age of Weaning
- 1 year
- Venomous
- No
- Aggression
- Medium
The kiang, native to the Tibetan Plateau, is the largest of the wild asses!
Have you ever wondered what’s the world’s biggest ass? Wonder no more. Kiangs are the largest wild asses in the world. These animals, also known as kyangs or Tibetan wild asses, are about 7 feet long, with large heads and a distinctive coat with a wide brown stripe down their backs. They sometimes roam the grasslands, deserts and steppes of the Tibetan Plateau alone, and sometimes gather in herds numbering in the hundreds. They are fast runners and great swimmers. There are three recognized subspecies, with the western kiang being the most numerous.
Incredible Kiang Facts
- Kiangs have large heads with long, black-tipped ears that they can rotate.
- They can run close to 40 miles per hour over long distances.
- The brown stripe on a kiang’s back runs from the top of its mane all the way to the end of its tail.
- These animals don’t have to drink much water. They get most of their moisture from plants or snow.
- Although kiangs are mostly diurnal, they also sometimes stay awake and graze through the night.
- Sticking to open areas and traveling in herds helps to keep kiangs safe from their only predators – wolves.
Where to Find Kiangs
Kiangs live on the Tibetan Plateau, mainly in China. Their range also extends into parts of India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Although there have not been any official reported sightings in Bhutan, they may exist in the far north and northwestern parts of that country, too.
Kiangs live at altitudes from approximately 8,900 to 17,700 feet. They spend most of their time on the grasslands and alpine meadows, on alpine or desert steppes, and in valleys and basins throughout their range. Kiangs may also be found on the slopes and rocky areas. They tend to stick closely to open areas where grasses, sedges, and short plants are available. They move in herds, up and down in elevation to areas where food is plentiful.
Scientific Name
The scientific name of the kiang is Equus kiang. The genus, Equus, is derived from Latin and is associated with horses or horse-like animals. This genus was first described by Linnaeus in 1758. Equus includes horses, zebras and asses and is the only extant genus in the family, Equidae.
Kiangs belong to the subfamily Asinus. In addition to kiangs, this subfamily includes the African wild ass, the ancestor of the domestic donkey, and the Asiatic wild ass, also known as the onager. The specific epithet, kiang, is a Tibetan word which refers to wild asses. The word kiang is sometimes spelled kyang.
There are three recognized subspecies: the western kiang, E. k. kiang, the eastern kiang, E. k. holdereri, and the southern kiang, E. k. polyodont. The western kiang is the most abundant, followed by the eastern kiang, and finally the southern kiang.
Kiang Appearance
Kiangs are the largest of the wild asses. Their appearance is equine in nature, much like that of a domestic donkey. They have a large head with long ears tipped in black. Kiangs stand around 55 inches tall at the withers, and their length averages between 72 and 84 inches. Female kiangs are a bit smaller than males. Adult females weigh between about 550 and 660 pounds. Adult males weigh between about 770 to 880 pounds.
A kiang’s appearance differs based on the season. In the summer, their coat is shorter and sleeker. It is a chestnut, or reddish-brown color, with creamy white underparts, including their legs and neck. They have a broad, dark brown stripe that runs all the way down their back, from their mane to their tail.
By the time winter arrives they grow a longer, shaggier coat that is darker brown. This wooly coat helps protect them during the cold months. It is shed each year in the summer, and it is grown back again before each winter.
Kiang Behavior
Kiangs are sometimes solitary, and sometimes form herds of up to several hundred individuals. They gather in larger herds at lower elevations in the winter, and disperse in warmer weather when food is more abundant. The herds that they form arenot permanent, but are only temporary in nature. The only strong bonds reported among kiangs are between mothers and foals.
Kiangs spend much of the day grazing, and when they are not eating they are generally at rest. They also reportedly sometimes graze through the night.
Males mate with multiple females, and defend their territory aggressively at times. They engage in defensive shows, lifting their heads, flattening their long ears and braying loudly at interlopers in an effort to intimidate them. If this does not work, they may fight a rival male, kicking, biting, and chasing him away from the females in the herd.
Kiangs don’t have to frequent watering holes, because they get a lot of the moisture that they require from the plant materials they eat. They can go for several days without drinking water. However, when they do come to a river, they are likely to jump right in. They are good swimmers and can easily cross rivers and sometimes swim in the water just to cool off.
Kiangs are also very fast runners. They have been observed chasing cars on the highway in China, running close to 40 miles per hour over long distances. They are known to put their running skills to use in their mating behavior, engaging in prolonged chases at high speeds.
Diet
Kiangs eat mostly grasses, sedges, and other low-growing plants. They are not ruminants, like cattle. Because they have only a single-chambered stomach, they do not regurgitate and chew on cud. They rely on large quantities of vegetation to supply their nutritional needs. When the supply of food in higher elevations becomes sparse, they will move to lower elevations where grasses are more plentiful.
Reproduction
The mating season is from July to August. Mature males fight with one another and mate with multiple females in a herd. They defend their territory and the females in their group by running around them and keeping guard against intruders. They chase the females before mating, and sometimes their behavior causes young foals to be injured.
Females have only one foal at a time and their gestation period is roughly 12 months. Foals weigh about 75 to 80 pounds when they are born, and they are able to walk on their own a few hours following birth. Although females can breed again quickly after giving birth, it is typical for them to have a foal only every other year. The bond between a mother and her foal is very strong. The foal is weaned at approximately one year of age.
Predators
Wolves are the only known predators of kiangs. Individuals within herds are difficult prey, because they stick mainly to open areas where visibility is high. When they spot a predator, they alert others in the herd with brays. Kiangs are fast runners. They can easily elude a wolf if it is spotted in time. The best chance a wolf has of killing a kiang is to catch a solitary individual outside a herd.
The greatest threats to kiangs are actually humans. Sadly, humans have long hunted and persecuted these animals. People and their livestock have also disrupted their range in many areas. Habitat degradation is probably the biggest threat to the species, as their food and water sources are blocked or taken for livestock.
Lifespan
Kiangs can live up to 20 years in the wild, and 30 years or more in captivity. Their most recent assessment by the IUCN Red List for Threatened Species lists them as a species of least concern. The estimated number of kiangs in the wild is between 60,000 and 70,000, with approximately 90 percent of the population living in China.
View all 98 animals that start with KKiang FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What do kiangs look like?
Kiangs are the largest of the wild asses. Their appearance is equine in nature, much like that of a domestic donkey. They have a large head with long ears tipped in black. Their appearance differs based on the season. In the summer, their coat is shorter and sleeker. It is a chestnut, or reddish-brown color, with creamy white underparts, including their legs and neck. In the winter their coat is longer and shaggier, and is a darker brown. Kiangs have a broad, dark brown stripe that runs all the way down their back, from their mane to their tail.
How big are kiangs?
Kiangs stand around 55 inches tall at the withers, and their length averages between 72 and 84 inches. Female kiangs are a bit smaller than males. Adult females weigh between about 550 and 660 pounds. Adult males weigh between about 770 to 880 pounds.
How fast can a kiang run?
Kiangs can run close to 40 miles per hour, and can run long distances without stopping.
How many varieties of kiangs exist?
There are three recognized subspecies of kiangs: the western kiang, E. k. kiang, the eastern kiang, E. k. holdereri, and the southern kiang, E. k. polyodont. The western kiang is the most abundant, followed by the eastern kiang, and finally the southern kiang.
What makes kiangs special?
The kiang, native to the Tibetan Plateau, is the largest of the wild asses!
Where do kiangs live?
Kiangs live on the Tibetan Plateau, mainly in China. Their range also extends into parts of India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Although there have not been any official reported sightings of Kiangs in Bhutan, they may exist in the far north and northwestern parts of that country, too.
Kiangs live at altitudes from approximately 8,900 to 17,700 feet. They spend most of their time on the grasslands and alpine meadows, on alpine or desert steppes, and in valleys and basins throughout their range. Kiangs may also be found on the slopes and rocky areas.
Do kiangs migrate?
Kiangs do not engage in organized migration. They do move seasonally between areas, following the availability of food sources. Generally, they spend warmer months at higher elevations and colder months at lower elevations. They congregate in large herds during the colder months, but are more solitary during the summer.
What do kiangs eat?
Kiangs eat grasses, sedges and other low-growing plants. They rely on large volumes of vegetation to provide the nutrients they need, as well as much of the necessary water that they consume.
How many foals do kiangs have?
Kiangs have one foal at a time. They usually give birth to a new foal once every two years. The gestational period is approximately 12 months, and foals are weaned after approximately one year.
How long do kiangs live?
Kiangs are hardy animals. They live an average of about 20 years in the wild. In captivity, their lifespan can be roughly 50 percent longer, reaching 30 years or more.
Are kiangs rare?
Kiangs are listed as species of least concern by the IUCN Red List and are not considered rare. Their population at the last assessment was estimated to be between 60,000 and 70,000 individuals. About 90 percent of kiangs live in China. The rest live in parts of India, Nepal, Pakistan, and perhaps Bhutan.
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Sources
- JIANG FUMEI / Published October 11, 2018 / Accessed February 27, 2023
- IUCN Redlist / Published June 2, 2015 / Accessed February 26, 2023
- William Moorcroft / Travels in the Himalayan Provinces / Accessed February 24, 2023