27 May 2012

Natural disasters, known as zud* in Mongolian, have long been part of the lives of nomadic herders. Yet the consecutive zuds of 2000–2001 were among the deadliest ever recorded: one-third of Mongolia's livestock—nearly 10 million head of cattle—perished. The cold was brutally intense (< −50°), but herders lost as much livestock due to their lack of experience.

Indeed, following the collapse of communism, a new generation of herders returned to the countryside. After three generations of specialization within cooperatives, supported by veterinary services and aided by supplementary provisions or the construction of wells and winter shelters, traditional knowledge was lost.

*A zud refers to a particularly snowy winter during which livestock cannot find food beneath the snow, resulting in the death of large numbers of animals from hunger and cold. There are also sandstorms that cause the proliferation of Russian thistle. This invasive herbaceous plant competes with perennial plants and displaces them in areas of intensive grazing.

It's a vicious cycle: by replacing the steppe's perennial plants, Russian thistle—which grows only a few months per year—leaves the soil bare and accelerates sandstorms, which in turn promote its further proliferation. Today, herders settle near urban centers to access services such as schools, medical and veterinary care, and shops.

Consequently, they migrate 50 to 150 kilometers around cities, moving 2 to 4 times per year, unlike their ancestors who migrated 8 to 15 times annually across distances of 350 to 700 kilometers.

While overgrazing is often cited as Mongolia's issue, the real problem is actually a poor distribution of herds. The Mongolian steppe suffers desertification due to the factors mentioned above, but also from an increase in goat herds for the cashmere trade.

Charlène Nomadays

An SEO writer from Nomadays' earliest days, Charlène has evolved into content manager and head of communications, accompanying the company's journey with unwavering passion and dedication. After spending seven years across Asia—from China to Thailand, passing through Mongolia and South Korea—she has made travel her way of engaging with the world. A lover of words, nature, and human connection, she strives to convey in her writing a thoughtful, committed, and responsible vision of tourism. For her, each article is a bridge between curiosity, respect, and wonder.