Ursus arctos gobiensis
Gobi Bear
June – September, at desert oases
The rarest bear on earth. Fewer than fifty Gobi bears — the mazaalai — survive in the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area, drinking at a handful of desert oases. Seeing one is never guaranteed and always unforgettable; travelling to their world funds the water points and ranger patrols that keep the species alive. This is conservation travel at its most direct.
Where to see them
Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area, on our 6 Wonders of Gobi expedition — one of very few journeys permitted into the mazaalai's range.
Every sighting funds protection — our conservation work with the MUR Initiative.
