Young scientists

The International Takhi Group and the Great Gobi “B” Protected Area Administration launched the “YOUNG RESEARCHER PROGRAM” at the beginning of March 2022 at secondary schools in the protected area’s buffer zone.

The aim of the program is to arouse the interest of secondary school students in science experiments. Pupils should learn to identify wild animals, plants, microorganisms, and their living conditions, as well as environmental phenomena.

Schools in the buffer zone are secondary schools of the Bugat, Tonkhil soums of the Gobi-Altai aimag and the Altai, Uench and Bulgan soums of the Khovd aimag.

Happy Lunar New Year!

In Mongolia, the first celebration of the year is the Lunar New Year, Tsagaan Sar, which means “white moon”.

ITG Workshop 2022

Every year the ITG organizes a workshop where the project partners come together for 3 days. An enthusiastic team from Mongolia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Germany share project and study results, discuss ongoing activities and exchange new ideas and ways to go forward. This year, the presentations and discussions were full of peoples’ engagement, hope, and exciting outlooks for the future, even in the middle of a pandemic. The iconic takhi holds an umbrella over the whole “ITG family”. Every single person in our team puts his/her energy towards the conservation of the wild horses and their ecosystem. In manifold projects, our team works towards conservation for fauna, flora, and people with the takhi as our guiding animal.

Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year

New Takhi Post

Conference of the “Great Gobi 6” (GG6) initiative

This initiative aims to protect the animals of the Gobi desert, the symbols of healthy Gobi ecosystems. The GG6 initiative focuses on the following wildlife species: Wild Bactrian Camel, Gobi Bear, Takhi or Wild Horse, Khulan or Wild Ass, Saiga Antelope, and Goitered Gazelle.

Recently, the 5th conference of the GG6 initiative with governmental and non-governmental organizations, scientists, and researchers was held from November 3-5, 2021. During the conference, the parties discussed issues related to water supply for the six Gobi wildlife species and the implementation of wildlife-friendly infrastructure standards.

G. Yondon, a researcher from the International Takhi Group, and G. Dovchindorj and O. Khurelbaatar, specialists from the Zuungariin Gobi Strictly Protected Area Administration, have introduced their work on wildlife protection to the parties and exchanged experiences with other participants during the event.

“Kids in Gobi’s protected area”

Read the story about three brothers who learned about reptiles and snakes in the Great Gobi B SPA during summer. The story was written by Yondon G. and Dovchindorj G. who won the third prize in a competition of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Mongolia with the motto “Environmental protection is everyone’s obligation”.

Reptiles in the Gobi B

Every species has a role in its ecosystem and helps to keep the ecosystem healthy:

Recently, reptile species of Dzungarian Gobi were studied at the Great Gobi B SPA.

The research team focused on reptile diversity, distribution, and location of the species.

At the end of this study, all reptile species will be registered and their conservation status will be defined. This will further provide basic information that will affect the establishment of the SPA’s internal zoning after the extension of the protected area.

Takhi, Goats and Fashion

In the Great Gobi B, traditional nomads and wild horses (takhi) share the habitat. The ITG and those responsible for the protected area strive to enable the nomads to make a living in their traditional way of life so that they can also profit economically from the conservation of nature. The fashion label EDELZiEGE and ITG are pooling their commitment and know-how. Direct purchase of raw wool is intended to improve the nomads’ income security.

Last week ITG brought the takhi project to the catwalks of the Fashion Week in Berlin.

Together with our guests – the Mongolian Embassy in Berlin, Zoo Berlin, Heinz Sielmann Foundation, Heinrich Boell Foundation, ODKHA Travel, Noble Nomads GmbH, and many more – we discussed sustainable value chains and how to build bridges between nature conservation, nomadic livelihoods, and the fashion industry.

The designer Anja Gockel kindly provided us with the platform in the Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin and rounded off the event with a private fashion show.

Takhi at the Fashion Week

What do wild horses and fashion have in common? We will pursue this question at the fashion week in Berlin.

One of ITG’s concerns is that people can find a livelihood in their traditional way of life and also benefit economically from the conservation of nature. That is why the ITG cooperates with the fashion label EDELZiEGE in the area of socio-economy. Our common goal is to enable the predominantly nomadic population around the Great Gobi B protected area with a secure livelihood while at the same time protecting the ecosystem.

At the Fashiontalk on September 9, 2021 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Adlon Kempinski Hotel in Berlin, we will tell you why this is important and how we will bundle our commitment and know-how.

Our thanks go to the designer Anja Gockel and Saruul Fischer from EDELZiEGE for organizing this event.

Registrations are very welcome.