Rare footage of 'Gobi bear,' one of the most endangered bear species, was captured in Mongolia
Conservation advocates have long been worried about Gobi bears. These creatures have been deemed the most endangered of Earth's eight known bear species, according to IFLScience. Data indicate that only 40 Gobi bears are currently living in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, their primary habitat. Good news regarding these creatures has recently come forward during the filming of the Apple TV+ series "The Wild Ones." The crew set up cameras in the Gobi Desert to hopefully capture these bears in action. As a result, they were able to gain glimpses of this rare bear's life and saw something that gives hope regarding their future on the planet.
Why is the Gobi bear so rare?
The Gobi bear is locally known by the name Mazaalai, according to AMICUS Mongolia. They are the only bear species in the world that live in a desert environment. This species is known to be endemic to Mongolia, as they are not found anywhere else in the world, making it rare. Further examinations have proven that the Gobi bear is a distinct subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos) who have adapted itself to survive in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Since 1976, studies have been conducted on them, and their numbers have always been a cause of alarm. Their population has never exceeded 50, especially in the last half-century. In the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, they have been listed in the critically endangered category.
What was in the footage?
Considering the sparse population of Gobi bears, the crew was unsure that they would be able to capture footage of this creature. To their surprise, they caught them on video, not one but two Gobi bears. This species supposedly lives around three oases in the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area (GGSPA). It is not revealed exactly where in these oases the camera was placed. The video features the crew reviewing the gathered footage. Initially, an adult Gobi bear makes their way towards the camera. Soon after, another bear appears to peek from behind. The nighttime footage clearly indicated that the second bear was a young one, possibly following its guardian. This footage is optimistic, as it implies that these bears are reproducing and expanding their numbers.
The crew of "The Wild Ones" captured footage of many endangered animals, along with Gobi bears, while filming the show, according to PEOPLE. The team is hopeful that people are inspired by the show and learn more about these animals. "The only thing I hope is that these aren't the last images of these animals. I hope we're not the first and last team to highlight them in this way," wildlife expert Declan Burley, who was part of the project, shared.
Other footage of Gobi bears
Sir David Attenborough presented a seven-part series called "Asia," where he focused on the continent's landscapes and animals, according to the BBC. One of the excerpts shows a bear traversing different regions in the desert to reach a water source. "In Mongolian, Gobi means 'waterless place' and therein lies the bear's greatest challenge: sources of water may be 100 miles apart – they face a gruelling trek across the desert," the host explained. Attenborough called them "one of the toughest animals on Earth" for managing in such a harsh environment.