ABSTRACT
The Indian wild ass, Equus hemionus khur, locally known as khur or ghudkhar, is an Asiatic wild ass subspecies now largely confined to the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) in Gujarat, India. The LRK is a saline desert ecosystem with a mosaic of mudflats, grassland “bets”, scrubland, and anthropogenically modified habitats. This study presents a habitat survey of E. h. khur in the LRK, with the objectives of (a) characterizing major habitat types used by the species, (b) assessing spatial patterns of habitat use across seasons, and (c) identifying key anthropogenic pressures influencing habitat quality. Using a combination of stratified habitat mapping, vehicle- and foot-based line transects, and indirect signs, we recorded the presence of khur and its relative abundance across major habitat classes, including saline mudflats, bets with grassland–scrub mosaics, agricultural fringes, and salt pan landscapes. Khur showed a strong affinity for open grassland and scrub habitats on bets and fringe areas, especially during the dry and pre-monsoon seasons, while seeking refuge on elevated bets during monsoon flooding. Open and partially open habitats supported higher encounter rates than closed vegetation. Major threats to habitat quality included expansion of salt panning, intensive livestock grazing, irrigated agriculture, and linear infrastructure within and around the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary. The study underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of grassland scrub systems on bets, regulating salt and grazing pressures, and managing landscape connectivity beyond the protected area boundary for the long-term conservation of E. h. khur in the LRK.
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