Migration of Mongolian nomads

Why do nomads move or migrate?

Many people around the world may not know that why nomads in Mongolia do migrate or move all the time. According to the area some of the nomads make migration 3-5 times a year and some of them less. Anyway there are no nomads that do not move from one place to another place. So what do you think? You may think that they are doing this because they are tired of old place and look for new?

Yes, this is close to reality but not exact. There are four completely different seasons in Mongolia. Those three seasons are cold winter, hot summer, spring for recover and autumn for dryness.

For staying and living in the winter they choose places that low in altitude with dry air. In those areas very little snow so it is paradise for the animals as snow will not cover the grass (livestock eat grass).

 But when it is summer, why do they move and why do they leave such a nice place?

During the winter grass will not grow until it spring. All the root of the grass are frozen and death. So livestock of nomads will finish all the grass that covers the open step and mountains around this area in radius of one km. After one km starts land of different nomads and they are in same fate too. When it starts spring in the national parks of Mongolia starts melting snow. And their livestock will enjoy the young grass mixed with old that preserved under the snow. But tons of water that melting from the snow will help keep ground green and wet whole summer. After a month they will move again further high close to the white mountains of Altai. While they are enjoying their summer on the high shoulders of Altai, their winter lands are being recovered and getting ready for next winter. The reason why do they move to the mountain is that it is their only the chance to use the grass on the mountain before it gets covered by the snow. From the first snow on the mountains they turn their heads back.

– Photo by Timothy Allen

At the end of the summer they will cut the grass with now technology working by their body. One family saves about 1-3 tracks for one winter. Those are not enough to feed all their livestock as one family owns at least 200 animals including horses, camels, cows, yaks, goats and sheep so they use this grass only for newborn baby animals or for weak and old animals.

I hope this information was helpful to understand nomads! I am a man who lives in Mongolia but in the past I was living as a nomadic boy with my grandparents that now still living as a nomads.

Post by Baldyrgan

You might have a question: Why do nomads in Mongolia migrate or move all the time?

Depending on areas where they live or camp, nomads migrate three or four times in a year. Anyway, they wouldn’t be a nomad if they will not migrate every time.

In reality, there are four completely different seasons in Mongolia. Those four seasons are cold winter, hot summer, spring, and autumn.

Meaning of Mongolian nomadic migration

Migration of Mongolian nomads have a special meanings that you may not know. Here you can find the best answers to your questions. Migration of Mongolian nomads and why do nomads migrate?

1) They choose the east side of the mountain or large rock as a shelter from the wind. Mongolian winter is cold, so they need to keep away their livestock from the whole night blowing cold wind.

2) They choose the area with less snow where not covers all the grass on the steppe. Otherwise, small animals wouldn’t reach the grass-covered by deep snow.

3) While their livestock is enjoying the less snowed area and the grass over there, the other areas with deep snow are preserved the grass under their white-deep snow.

4) By the time when it comes spring around, livestock has finished the grass around their winter area.

5) They choose high colder mountain areas in the summer that will be covered by snow in the winter. They need to finish all the grass on the mountains as they are going to be covered by the snow in the winter, and stay unreachable the whole winter anyway.

6) While livestock enjoying the grass on the mountain, the winter area is getting refreshed.