21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Kiang

A Kiang (Tibetan Wild Ass) grazing in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. I was fortunate to experience a most stunning landscape during a 5 day road trip to Ladakh, in India, and have fond memories of when I took this picture of a lone Kiang in a valley, surround by beautiful mountains with freshly covered snow. This high altitude wildlife reserve is home to a diversity of flora and fauna and is spread over an area of 1,600 sq km. This is one of the few places in India with a population of the Kiang (Tibetan Wild Ass) as well as the Black Necked Crane. Other notable species one can find here are the snow leopard, wild yak, bharal, brown bear and marmots.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: India
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Rajiv Bhambri