The Bankhar Dog Project has been established to re-introduce the Mongolian Bankhar dog to its native environment. Bankhar dogs are a landrace breed of livestock protection dogs, similar to Tibetan Mastiffs, and native to the Mongolian steppe.
The project runs a selective breeding scheme that screens for correct genotype and ensures genetic diversity. Dogs are trained to live alongside sheep and are homed with Mongolian herders. In addition to preserving the rare breed without depleting the gene pool, this project has a wider conservational impact as the dogs warn of approaching predators such as snow leopards obviating the need for herders to shoot an endangered species.
This proves that re-introduction of even a domestic species can have positive, unexpected consequences for biodiversity as well as preserving a working breed in its natural environment.