Mongolian Reindeer Herders: A Vanishing Breed
Mongolian Reindeer Herders: A Vanishing Breed
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Carving a life out of the rugged Mongolian landscape was never easy. Now rich elements of a nomadic culture are in danger of disappearing.
As part of the "Worlds of Difference" series on cultural change, Lorne Matalon visited with the Tsachin -- nomads who herd reindeer.
He learned that Mongolia's domesticated reindeer population has fallen to fewer than 700 animals, maintained by 44 families.
Tsachin elder Sanjim and his wife at dusk on the taiga. They move every few weeks to find fresh grasses for their reindeer. Lorne Matalon/Worlds of Difference hide caption
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