Plastic waste is not just a threat to marine animals but to the rare species of the Gobi Desert. A ranger from Bayan-Uul soum in Mongolia’s Gobi-Altai province recently  found a saiga carcass at Khuisiin Gobi of the Altai Sayan Ecoregion. According to the ranger, the Mongolian saiga had eaten a plastic bag. In recent years, rural people have been using plastic bags a lot and it is common to see plastic waste blowing in the wind across the Gobi. Unfortunately, it is clear that rare animals, such as Mongolian saigas are eating plastic waste due to scarce food.

In the meantime, WWF-Mongolia has initiated “Plastic-free rivers” campaign to engage stakeholders. The start of this initiative began in July 2018 to remove plastic waste from the Kherlen River located in the eastern part of the country. Within the framework of this project, the community has organized large cleaning operations along the Kherlen and has been actively promoting public awareness of plastic waste. (World Wildlife Fund)