Status of Kiang

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Chapter 6 Status and Action Plan for the Kiang (Equus kiang) Nita Shah 6.1 Nomenclature and conservation status Scientific name: Equus kiang Moorcroft 1841 Equus kiang kiang Moorcroft 1841 Equus kiang holdereri Matschie 1911 Equus kiang polyodon Hodgson 1847 The kiang was considered to be a subspecies of the Equus hemionus, but recent molecular studies indicate that it is a distinct species (Ryder and Chemnick 1990). The kiangs are the largest of the Asiatic wild asses. The three subspecies of kiang have geographically distinct populations (Groves 1974) and their morphology is different based on such features as skull proportions, angle of incisors, shape of rump, colour pattern, coat colour, and body size (Groves and Mazak 1967). The eastern kiang (Equus kiang holdereri) is the largest subspecies (142cm at shoulder), the southern kiang (E. k. polyodon) is the smallest (100–105cm at shoulder). The western kiang (Equus kiang kiang) are slightly smaller than E. k. holdereri and also have a darker coat (Groves 1974). The kiang has a large head, with a blunt muzzle and a convex nose. The mane is upright and relatively short. The coat is rich chestnut colour, darker brown in winter and a sleek reddish brown in late summer, moulting its woolly pelage. The summer coat is 1.5cm long and the winter coat is double the length (Groves 1974). The legs, undersides and ventral part of the nape, end of the muzzle, and the inside of the pinnae are all white. A broad, dark chocolatecoloured dorsal stripe extends from the mane to the end of the tail, which ends as a tuft of blackish brown hairs. Kiang have very slight sexual dimorphism. Common names: Asiatic wild ass, kiang, Ye Lü, Chang Lü IUCN Red List Category (version 2.3): Equus kiang LR/lc Least Risk E. k. holdereri Eastern kiang LR Least Risk E. k. kiang Western kiang DD Data Deficient E. k. polyodon Southern kiang DD

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