Persian onager the Asiatic wild ass is known simply as onager, it now also serves as the Persian wild ass's scientific name, as well ("Equus hemionus onager"). Information on the basic biology of the subspecies and how it differs from others is lacking, which hampers conservation efforts. Onagers used to be numerous from the Middle East to China. However, until the 19th century, their population has been reduced from several thousand to a few thousand. Currently, more than 600 Persian onagers are living in the wild. Persian wild asses are known to inhabit mountain steppes, semidesert, or desert plains. They are usually
Onager (weapon) These he says should be transported fully assembled on ox carts to ensure readiness in case of sudden attack, in which case the onagers could be used for defence immediately. For Vegetius, the onagers were stone throwing machines. In the late 6th century the Avars brought the Chinese traction trebuchet, otherwise known as the mangonel, to the Mediterranean, where it soon replaced the slower and more complex torsion powered engines. Onager (weapon) The onager (British /ˈɒnədʒə/, /ˈɒnəɡə/, U.S. /ˈɑnədʒər/) was an imperial-era Roman torsion powered siege engine; in other words, a small catapult. The onager was first mentioned in 353