Event: Regional Flyway Initiative Site Studies
Mongolia: Buir Lake

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Buir Lake is the largest freshwater lake in eastern Mongolia, located in Dornod Province along the border with the People’s Republic of China. The site covers over 61,000 hectares for the lake and extends beyond 100,000 hectares when surrounding wetlands and steppe landscapes are included. It lies within the Amur River Basin and includes wet grasslands, reedbeds, riparian woodland, and adjacent steppe ecosystems, with the Khalkh River as the main inflow and an outflow to Dalai Lake.
 
The site supports internationally important populations of migratory waterbirds, including Swan Goose and other species exceeding flyway population thresholds. It also provides key ecosystem services such as fisheries, freshwater, and tourism. The site is under increasing pressure from overgrazing, tourism expansion, and unsustainable fishing practices, which have contributed to habitat degradation, pollution, and declining natural resources.
 

RFI Site Snapshot

City Municipality Province Region
Tsogtsumber and Tashgai bag, Khalkhgol soum, Dornod aimag
Area Size
125,400 ha
Geographical Coordinates
47.77° N, 117.8° E
Conservation Designation
Ramsar Site
Important Bird and Biodiversity Area
East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership Flyway Network Site
Key Habitats and Biomes
Freshwater lake
Wetlands and reedbeds
Steppe grasslands
Key Ecosystem Services and Values
Provisioning: fisheries, freshwater
Regulating: local climate regulation
Cultural: tourism, recreation
Global Climate Regulation: Estimated Carbon Storage and Sequestration Not assessed / not identified as a key service
EAAF Species Globally significant congregations:
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus (LC)
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (LC)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea (LC)
Swan Goose Anser cygnoides (EN)
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea (LC)
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna (LC)
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (NT)
Mute Swan Cygnus olor (LC)

Small numbers: 
Oriental Stork Ciconia boyciana (EN)
Common Pochard Aythya ferina (VU)
Siberian Crane Leucogeranus leucogeranus (CR)
White naped Crane Grus vipio (VU)
Black tailed Godwit Limosa limosa (NT)
Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus (NT)
Relict Gull Larus relictus (VU)
 Notable Biodiversity Pallas’s Fish Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus (EN)
Great Bustard Otis tarda (EN)
Siberian Taimen Hucho taimen (VU)
Mongolian Gazelle Procapra gutturosa
Site Management
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
Dornod aimag government
Khalkhgol soum government
Key Drivers of Change
Overgrazing and land degradation
Unsustainable fishing and overharvesting
Tourism expansion and waste pollution
Drought and climate variability
Opportunities for RFI Interventions
Strengthening site management and zonation; Sustainable fisheries management; Rangeland and grazing management
Tourism development and regulation; Waste management and pollution control; Biodiversity monitoring and research
Investment Range Over Time Period
$16,300,000 over five years

Disclaimer

The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.

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Topics

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Climate Change
  • Environment
  • Regional Cooperation and Integration