There are a lot of photos in this post (and the previous one of our trip here from the soum center), partly because when I was online before my departure researching the Great Gobi A SPA there was very little available, either in images or information. Very few people go there (or to any of the Strictly Protected Areas for that matter), mostly researchers and sometimes filmmakers who want to film the wild bactrian camels or the bears. In fact, a lot of the images to be found in a Google search for “Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area” are from this blog and most of those are from Takhiin Tal, which is actually in Great Gobi B. So I’m hoping that this post might be of use to someone else who is planning to go to Great Gobi A. It’s also what I felt would best tell the story of our time at this remote but compelling place.
Into the oasis. Quite a lot of water present. Spring-fed areas like these are the only natural sources of water in the reserve and all the wildlife depend on them.Bilgee, the ranger, took us on an evening hike to see the two feeding stations set up for the bears. As we walked down the road he pointed out things we would have missed or not been able to identify if we’d been on our own, like these tracks of khulan, Mongolian wild ass.Khulan dungBut then we hit the jackpot…mazaalai tracks! And pretty fresh.The low evening light was perfect for getting good photos.We all took pictures of the evidence of the presence of the rarest bear in the world.
Bilgee explained to us that the bear’s favorite food, wild rhubarb, had already sprouted and grown faster than usual. So the bears had dispersed from the areas of the feeding stations for the year. I was happy to know that their natural food supply was in good shape, but it did reduce further our chances of seeing any. The Expedition was timed with the hope of catching the bears after they had emerged from hibernation and were using the feeding stations and before their main food was readily available, which would cause them to scatter out over a wide area.
We came out of the wooded stretch of the oasis and into the open.We came upon Gobi bear scat as we walked.
Ok, well, most people won’t get excited about seeing animal poop, but in the interests of science and completeness, here it is.
View of the valley floorStream which ran through the valley, edged with reeds. One doesn’t expect to encounter such rich greens in the middle of a place known for its aridity, but where there’s water…Looking back down the valleyThe first feeding station we checked outBilgee checks the motion camera; no imagesThe feed pellets. The bears really spread them around on the groundWe took turns taking photos of each other in this special placeBilgee spotted another bear printWe also hiked over to the second feederIt was a fair distance from the first one. It was great to be able to hike around on such a beautiful evening!The light was really greatI followed Bilgee into these reeds as he tried to cut across to another trail back. The ground was dry, but I suddenly went into a hole up past my knee and had to work a bit to get myself out. We gave up on the “shortcut” and went back to the trail we’d come in onI just loved the light, the colors and the shapes. This would be great place to come paint en plein air. It’s just a long five day drive to get to…Back out we went, following the streamIt being spring, there were a number of flowering plantsBilgee suddenly took a left turn and disappeared. We followed up behind him and found ourselves at a sacred spring (most springs seem to be considered sacred in Mongolia, for obvious reasons, especially in such an arid land as the Gobi)The water is coming from within that dark hole that Kim is in front of, having a drink. Our cook, Soyoloo, is touching some of the khadag wrapped around the tree branch.
So, yes, we drank the water. In the United States it’s extremely unwise to drink from streams, rivers and even springs in some cases. I’ve learned that in Mongolia there is no giardia present in the water, which is the problem in the US. But rivers and streams can still be contaminated by livestock. On a case by case basis, I will drink from springs there and once have drunk from a river. It was explained to me by the Mongols I was traveling with that the water had to be swiftly flowing over rocks for them to drink it, so I went ahead and had some. It was delicious! (If anyone reading this has additional information or corrections, please leave a comment)
A previous visitor left this quite appropriate offering.There was also, to my surprise, a very old and worn argali sheep hornWhile we waited for the car to come pick us up, the last glowing light of the day turned these old elms trees golden orangeIf I ever go back and have the time, I will paint this wonderful old treeBack at camp, the drivers had set up the gravity feed shower. First one we’d had since leaving Ulaanbaatar almost a week before. The low humidity in Mongolia, around 10%, makes it more bearable than in a more humid climate, but it sure felt goodThe next day I got some good photos of this long-legged buzzard flying overAnd then it was snake time again! Another steppe ribbon racer. It first showed up coming towards me as I sat reading in front of the dining tent. I thought it was going to move through it, but it made a right turn and headed towards the “ger” and up onto the roof.It came down on the other side of the doorway into this bushThen it moved along on a bank almost at eye level to me. By this time most of the people in camp were following it alongIt came to another shrub and stopped, clearly trying its best to be invisible. Deciding that it had been followed enough and having gotten a few dozen photos, at this point I left it beBehind the camp there was a 1km trail that led up over the hills to this place where one could sit and look out over the valley where the feeding stations were located. This is where we tried to see the bears but, alas, none cameOliver watching the feeding station across the valley, the second one we went to on our evening hikeBreaking camp. Looking toward the hills where the trail to the overlook is
So, no, we didn’t see any Gobi bears, but it was exciting to see their tracks (and scat). It would have taken quite a stroke of good fortune, given their rarity and the fact that they had already dispersed for the summer, and I knew the chance was small when I planned the Expedition. However the chance was zero if we didn’t go at all and with wildlife you never know. You start by showing up and then seeing what happens. But we experienced their habitat, got to camp in it and explore it and learned a lot firsthand about how they live, something very few people will ever be able to do.
Next week we head back north to a very different destination and ecosystem.
Susan Fox, American Artist 