Mongolia's reindeer herders defend their way of life
Mongolia's reindeer herders defend their way of life In northern Mongolia, an ethnic group of reindeer herders and rangers face mutual distrust in protecting the same land. Tsagaannuur, Mongolia - Seated in a white teepee perched on a cliff that overlooks a snow-covered coniferous forest, Delger Gorshik talks about how his life as a Dukha, one of the world's smallest ethnic minorities, has changed over the years. "When I was a child, the only thing we could use for a light was a candle. Today, we have electric lamps and solar panels. This teepee used to be covered with animal skin; today, we use cloth canvas," the 55-year-old says. "And now," he adds, gesturing downhill to where his daughter and son-in-law live. "As you can see, we even have wooden houses." Within the northern Mongolian snow forest, or taiga, the Dukha - whose population is estimated to be fewer than 300 - live as nomadic reindeer herders. Often referred to as the...