| Abstract |
The project area is situated in one of the largest remaining grassland areas on earth, the Mongolian Manchurian Steppe. The Mongolian Gazelle antelope herds represent the third-largest land animal migration in the world. The migration does not follow fixed routes, however, it can be disturbed by human activity such as domestic herding, mining and other industrial activity (more than half of the country is at least nominally designated for minerals exploitation). Effective contiguity among the three protected areas that comprise the project area will be essential for future North-South migrations. The grassland types effected in the project are underrepresented in protected areas both in Mongolia and worldwide. Their preservation and that of the animal species that reside there are recognized as priorities in the current draft national ecological gap analysis. |
