Kiang – Large Wild Donkey of Tibet
The kiang is the largest of all wild asses growing to be about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters). Their coat is a dark brown with hints of chestnut or reddish coloring on the top and back with white under parts and they have short upright manes of dark brown.
It is the only wild donkey that still has large numbers living in the wild although the population is declining. They live on the high plateaus of Tibet even throughout the cold winter they don’t migrate. The do however, put on a large amount of fat to help insulate them from the cold. Their tough lips and teeth are well suited for eating the hard grasses they can find in their habitat. The only predator they face (besides man) is the wolf and when they come around the kiang form a defensive circle and get ready to kick any approachers.
The kiangs live in herds with a hierarchy of dominant males that usually keep the order. However, during breeding season aggressive males will often fight each other over the females.