The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) released a photo today of a single Asiatic wild ass or khulan (Equus hemionus hemionus) crossing a previously impenetrable barrier along the Trans Mongolian Railroad – the first known crossing by this near-threatened species into the eastern steppe in 65 years.

Khulan (Equus hemionus), a species of wild ass living in the Gobi Desert, travel extremely long distances to meet their water needs – a strategy that will require urgent conservation interventions as local human impacts increase, says a team of scientists.