FOREIGN SCHOLARS TO JOIN TO PROTECT GOBI BEARS

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ A 23rd international conference on Bear Research and Management is running these days in Thessaloniki of Greece where Mongolia is represented by Dr. J.Batbold, the state secretary of Environment and Green Development Ministry. Opening the conference, he said that Mazaalais (the Gobi Bears) are the biggest victims of the global warming, "you can ask a Mazaalai to know everything about climate change impacts on the Gobi region". He mentioned that some years, during springs, wild animals such as wild sheep and goats are starved to death because of lack of not only food but also of water. Due to the increasing desertification, Mazaalais have nothing to eat except for dried woods for several months after getting out of their lairs, he said. He expressed a wish that the international organizations and scholars researching bears cooperate in conserving Mazaalais. According to a researcher T.Odbayar, the tests made on the hair samples have shown that there are 27 Gobi bears, which indicates that their number increased by five against the previous year. The Mongolian side also has held bilateral meetings with Ms Karen Noyce, the president of the International Association for Bear Research and Management, and with member scholars of the board. The sides have agreed to jointly realize several works such as conservation and researches of Mazaalai, and establishing a Mazaalai Faith Foundation.