00:00Discover the Dukha, Mongolia's Reindeer-Riding Nomads Living in Seclusion
00:05In Mongolia's wilderness, the Dukha, or Tsatan, live as semi-nomads with reindeer.
00:13With only a few hundred left, they rely on reindeer for survival, treating them like family in their culture.
00:20The Dukha, early animal domesticators, focus on reindeer for herding, milking, and crafting.
00:27Children train calves for riding, crucial due to adult weight limits.
00:32Reindeer are ridden for transport across challenging terrain.
00:36The Dukha supplement their diet with forest animals, slaughtering a few reindeer annually for resources like pelts and antlers, used in winter coats and other items.
00:47They migrate seasonally, setting up temporary yurts, called orts, warmed by wood-burning stoves.
00:53Despite the remote location, about a day's ride from Tsaga'anur, the Dukha's inaccessible tribe has become a popular Mongolian tourist attraction,
01:04though foreign visitors struggle to reach them, as reported by Reuters.
01:09Winter travel over Kovsgul Lake is shorter, while summer requires longer horseback trips.
01:14Changing rain cycles make weather unpredictable.
01:17Droughts and harsh winters threaten lichen, essential for reindeer.
01:21Despite romanticized views, reindeer herding is tough.
01:26The government's park declaration prohibits hunting, affecting the Dukha's traditional lifestyle and diet.
01:33Hunting is vital for the Tsaitan's sustenance and identity.
01:37Zaya Oldhoff, a Mongolian-American, highlights its cultural significance beyond survival, emphasizing its integral role.
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