In memory of Stephan Siegfried, a great nature enthusiast

Stephan Siegfried left us on October 9, 2023. The thoughts of the International Takhi Group are with his family, and we share the sorrow over the loss of an amiable and dedicated friend.

As the son of the co-founder of the ITG, it was Stephan’s great concern to support the reintroduction of Przewalski’s horses in Mongolia through the Jean-Pierre und Sonja Siegfried Foundation, of which he was the president. Six years ago, he seized the opportunity to visit the passion project of his parents, Jean-Pierre and Sonja Siegfried, in Mongolia. He was excited to see ‘his father’s Takhi’ but was equally interested in Mongolia’s plants and other wildlife, especially his beloved birds.

Because of his love for nature and diverse people, he was able to easily form friendships in Mongolia. He was enthralled by the stories of the rangers and nomads, yet equally captivated them in return when he spoke enthusiastically of his many other journeys and encounters with animals.

Stephan, your enthusiasm, your inspiring and humorous, yet demanding personality, will continue to accompany us in our thoughts and support us in our work in Mongolia. Thank you, Stephan, farewell!

Mongolia is worth a trip

Lonely Planet, a leader of travel-guidebooks promoted in “Best in Travel” Mongolia as a country for those looking for vast landscapes, adventure and culture.

At the same time, the International Travel Mart 2023 (ITM) took place at Ulaanbaatar/Mongolia. ITG Mongolia participated and presented the Gobi B as travel destination with a fantastic landscape and a unique fauna and flora in the South-West of Mongolia. It is a place, where – in Lonely Planets wording – there is a lot to discover.

Great Gobi 6 Initiative: “Let’s live side by side”

The meeting of the Great Gobi 6 Initiative was held in Khukhmort Sum (Gobi Altai province) in October and was organized by the stakeholders of the “Gobi’s wonder 6”. The main topic was the planning and the implementation of linear infrastructure like pipelines and streets in an environmentally friendly way. The discussion was based upon the standard MNS 6735:2018 of the Mongolian law, pointing out the requirements for mountain crossings for wildlife migration routes.

Wildlife survey

On beginning of September a survey at Khonin us oasis by P. Suvd, G. Dagvasuren and Penolofa showed around 90 Takhi and 600 Khulan. In fall Takhi harems often gather to bigger groups as can be seen on the picture. During this period, Takhi often change groups. In wintertime however groups roam the Gobi B alone again.

Elaboration of a World Heritage Nomination

The Desert Landscapes of the Mongolian Southern Gobi are outstanding. They host an extraordinary representation of critical populations of rare animal and plant species as well as an enormous range of intact desert landforms and features. The project team supporting the Mongolian government to apply for the “Desert Landscapes of the Mongolian Southern Gobi” took an inspection trip to Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area.

The Mongolian Government has now decided to support the nomination of the suggested landscapes. The proposal includes: Great Gobi A with Eej Khairkhan Natural Monument, the Great Gobi B with ALalg Khairchen and the Small Gobi A&B SPA, a region of more than 82’000 km2.

“Learning Wild” goes Mongolia

“The group experienced a great trip to the Gobi B, where Emily Kieson (Equine International) and Bonny Mealand (Touching Wild), as well as Reinhard Schnidrig, Dalaitseren Sukhbaatar and Dagvasuren of ITG and Gobi B SPA made the course a once in a lifetime experience. This is what Emily Kieson said:
“Taking a Learning Wild group to the Gobi B was truly an experience that exceed all my expectations. The staff and guides at the Gobi B SPA station were exceptional hosts and we instantly felt welcomed into a landscape and culture that was vastly different than what most of us had ever experienced. I was overwhelmed with how much the staff was willing to do to accommodate our desires to explore the area and learn about the wildlife. The station itself is the perfect place as a base camp for educational opportunities. Whether members of our group woke up before dawn to observe wildlife at one of the oases or if they decided to stay at camp and enjoy the scenery from the comfort of their yurts, there were endless opportunities to enjoy and appreciate the wonder of the Gobi B.”