India's only wild ass
The Indian wild ass, or khur, is one of the rarest and most special creatures of Gujarat — a swift, sturdy, sandy-brown equine that survives in the wild in only one place on earth: the Little Rann of Kutch and its fringes, reached from Morbi via Maliya.
The khur — the Indian wild ass — is the Little Rann’s signature animal and one of India’s quieter conservation wins. A chestnut-and-white equine with a dark dorsal stripe, faster than anything that hunts it, it once ranged from Iran to Rajasthan; by the 1960s the world population had collapsed to a few hundred animals here. The sanctuary declared over the Little Rann in the early 1970s reversed the slide, and today’s censuses count several thousand, herds spilling into the surrounding districts.
Seeing them is straightforward: open-jeep safaris run from Zainabad, Bajana and Dhrangadhra onto the salt flats, where the khur stand silhouetted on the cracked white pan or gallop flat-out in loose herds. November to February is the season — the same drives take in flamingo-filled wetlands, demoiselle and common cranes, nilgai and desert fox — and the sanctuary’s other economy, the Agariya salt workers’ pans, shares the same horizon. The Rann floods in the monsoon and the safaris pause.
Once close to extinction, the khur has recovered strongly under protection in the Wild Ass Sanctuary, and herds now range across the salt flats and the grassy islands (bets) that dot the Rann, capable of galloping at remarkable speed across the open ground.
A jeep safari into this stark, beautiful landscape offers the chance to see the wild ass alongside nilgai, chinkara, desert foxes, flamingos and a wealth of migratory birds. The combination of a unique species and an otherworldly salt-desert setting makes the wild ass of the Little Rann an unforgettable wildlife encounter — a quiet conservation triumph on Morbi’s wild frontier. (Safari via the sanctuary; book officially.)
A khur in the Little Rann.
Back from near extinction on the salt flats
Khur on the open flats.
By the 1960s drought and disease had cut the khur to a few hundred animals.
The Wild Ass Sanctuary was declared over the Little Rann in 1972-73.
Protection worked, and census after census recorded the herds growing.
Today several thousand khur range the salt flats and beyond.
Reasons to make the time
Only wild ass
The Indian wild ass survives in the wild only around the Little Rann.
Swift herds
Khur have been clocked at over 60 km/h across the open flats.
Rann safari
Safaris run from Dhrangadhra, Zainabad and Bajana into the salt wilderness.
Conservation win
From a few hundred to several thousand — a genuine recovery story.
Birds & more
Winter adds flamingos, cranes, nilgai and desert foxes to the drives.
Salt-flat setting
The cracked white Rann makes an otherworldly stage for the herds.
What to look for inside
THE KHURWild ass
A swift desert equine, chestnut and white, built for the salt flats.
THE HERDOn the flats
Galloping across salt.
How to spend an hour or two
Book a safari
Via the sanctuary, officially.
Enter the Rann
The salt wilderness.
Find the khur
Herds on the flats.
Watch them run
At remarkable speed.
Spot the others
Nilgai, foxes, birds.
Catch the light
Dawn and dusk.
The Indian wild ass.
The khur of the salt flats
The Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) is a swift, sandy-brown equine of the open salt flats, surviving in the wild only in the Little Rann of Kutch. Herds graze the grassy bets and cross the salt at speed, sharing the Rann with nilgai, chinkara, desert foxes, and — in winter — flamingos and migratory waterbirds.
It is the living wonder of the Rann, best seen on a permit-controlled safari into this stark, beautiful landscape. (Book the safari officially via the sanctuary.)
This is one of many places worth seeing here — the full guide to Morbi has the rest.
India’s only wild ass (khur)
Herds on the salt flats
Recovered under protection
Nilgai, foxes & birds too
When to go
Cool and clear — the best season for the Rann.
The Rann floods; wildlife disperses.
Hot, but wildlife gathers at water.
⏰ Take a winter safari at dawn or dusk; book via the Wild Ass Sanctuary and travel with a guide.
Timings & entry
- Safaris run in cooler hours
- Best from October to March
- Sanctuary permits required
- Allow a half day per safari
- Book via the Wild Ass Sanctuary
- Travel with a registered guide
- This is NOT a booking site — book officially
- Keep your distance; don't chase wildlife
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot airport is nearest.
By Rail
Maliya/Morbi, then road to the Rann.
By Road
Into the Little Rann via Maliya.
On safari
KHUR & SALT
India's wild ass in the Rann
What to shoot
The khur on the flats.
Action
Herds galloping.
Reach
A long lens from the jeep.
Etiquette
Keep distance; don't chase.
Know before you go
More to see close by
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The bustling old market square
Rafaleshwar Mahadev
A serene Shiva temple by the Machchhu
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A historic hanging bridge over the Machchhu
RIVERMachchhu Riverfront
Calm waters at the heart of the city
Mani Mandir
An ornate palace-temple of carved stone
Machchhu River
The Machchhu river flows through the Morbi area of Saurashtra and is closely bound up with…
Where to eat near Indian Wild Ass
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
GANTHIYAGanthiya & fafda
Saurashtra's fried snacks.
STREETChaat & bhajiya
Lively local street food.
Veg & sweets
Hearty Kathiawadi veg fare and sweets.
Indian Wild Ass FAQ
What is the Indian wild ass?
The khur — a swift wild equine that survives in the wild only in the Little Rann of Kutch.
Where can I see it?
On a safari into the Little Rann, reached from Morbi via Maliya.
Is it endangered?
It was near extinction but has recovered well under protection.
How do I book a safari?
Via the Wild Ass Sanctuary, officially — this is an information guide, not a booking service.
What else lives there?
Nilgai, chinkara, desert foxes, flamingos and many birds.
When is the best time?
October to March, at dawn or dusk.
How fast can the khur run?
Remarkably fast — they gallop across the open salt flats.
What's the nearest gateway?
Maliya in Morbi district (also Dhrangadhra/Dasada).
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026