Orchon River, Mongolia Photograph by © WWF-Canon/Hartmut JUNGIUS   Central Asia: Central Mongolia Montane Grasslands and Shrublands   14,300 square miles (37,100 square kilometers) -- about twice the size of New Jersey Vulnerable

· Along the Rainy Divide
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Along the Rainy Divide

Mongolia lies in the heart of Asia, and the Khangai Mountains lie in the heart of Mongolia. These high peaks determine the final destination of Asian rainfall. On the north side of these mountains, rain eventually drains to the Arctic Ocean. Rain that falls west and south of the divide ends up in the Pacific.

Special Features

The highest of these mountains rise above 11,500 feet (nearly 3500 m). High mountain alpine meadows cover wide, elevated plateaus. In the U-shaped valleys carved by ancient glaciers, pine forests and stands of birch create prime habitats. This ecoregion also has one of the highest annual rainfall rates of all of Mongolia.

	The continental divide that occurs in the Khangai Mountains is just one of many continental divides around the world. The longest runs through North and South America from northern Canada to southern Chile, with the rivers to the west of the divide flowing into the Pacific Ocean and those to the east flowing into the Atlantic.

Wild Side

Mountain sheep, narrow-skulled voles, and ibex brave the high winds and short growing season of this ecoregion. The open ground and rocky crags are home to rock pigeons, large flocks of Brandt’s rosy finches, and rock ptarmigans. In the spring, tulip-like white gentians bloom low over the open ground. Snow leopards stalk the ibex and mountain sheep, sometimes springing on them from 50 to 65 feet (15 to 20 m) away.

Cause for Concern

Mongolia has one of the world’s lowest population densities but one of Asia’s highest population growth rates. A growing population could cause some people to begin exploiting higher elevation grasslands for grazing, foraging, and tourism. Hunting and poaching are also causes for concern.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.