Mongolia
Mongolia is a vast country in Asia with immense regional and global conservation importance. It is a land of majestic yet harsh landscapes—hot and windswept in summer, bone-chillingly cold in winter. Mongolia sits at the crossroads of several ecological zones: the Siberian taiga forest, the Central Asian steppe, the Altai Mountains, and the Gobi Desert. The country is home to an array of wildlife species, including large mammals such as argali sheep, Przewalski’s horses, moose, camels, and two species of gazelles. Magnificent birds of prey—including the endangered imperial eagle, saker falcon, golden eagle, steppe eagle, boreal owl, and cinereous vulture—soar through its skies.
Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, landlocked between Russia and China. About 75-80 percent of the land is covered by rangelands, which support a way of life that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. A significant portion of the population lives a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle, raising livestock across these vast steppe ecosystems. Mongolia’s diverse landscapes face extreme weather, from summer highs of over 100°F (38°C) to winter lows of -40°F (-40°C). The Eastern Steppe is home to large herds of Mongolian gazelles, while in the west and south, snow leopards and ibex navigate the rugged Mountains. In western Mongolia, the critically endangered saiga antelope roams the plains.
But Mongolia is changing fast. The country, now classified as lower-middle-income, has seen rapid economic growth driven by mining and other extractive industries. This growth is transforming the landscape and creating new challenges for conservation. Climate change is also becoming a serious concern, making the country more vulnerable to extreme weather events. For example, the harsh winter of 2023/24, known as dzud, led to significant livestock losses, impacting pastoral communities.
About WCS Mongolia
For over 20 years, WCS Mongolia has been dedicated to conserving Mongolia's unique wildlife and vast ecosystems through a combination of scientific research, policy advocacy, and community-based action.
Established in 2003, WCS Mongolia began formal collaboration with national partners to address key conservation challenges. Our programs have focused primarily on the Eastern Steppe and South Gobi regions, emphasizing wildlife health through a ‘One Health’ approach, supporting community-led conservation efforts, and ensuring habitat connectivity across landscapes.
In 2024, we developed a new five-year strategy extending to 2030, aimed at realizing our vision of preserving and restoring Mongolia’s ecological integrity. Our strategy is articulated around three key pillars:
- Enhancing ecosystem functioning and resilience by protecting and restoring key habitats.
- Ensuring functional connectivity to enable threatened species to move freely through the steppe and mountain ecosystems.
- Promoting climate adaptation of pastoral communities and vulnerable ecosystems.
These priorities guide our work to protect Mongolia’s biodiversity.