Wildlife Hunting in Eastern Mongolia: Economic and Demographic Factors Influencing Hunting Behavior of Herding Households

摘要

Much of Mongolia’s rangelands are under state control and managed via traditionalland use practices and are habitat for numerous wildlife species harvested for theirmeat and fur. Political and economic transformations that have been occurring sincethe early 1990’s continues to aff ect all aspects of Mongolian society. To cope duringperiods of economic hardship, many turned to harvesting wildlife resources forincome and subsistence and this resulted in precipitous declines of some populations,marmots for example. Interviews with herding households in Mongolia’s easternsteppe region were conducted to better determine how wildlife resources (Mongoliangazelle, Siberian marmot, red foxes, corsac foxes, and gray wolf ) are utilized andvalued by herding families. Hunting, carried out by 65% of interviewees, returnedan average of $103±172 dollars per household.  e number of individuals hunted ofany particular species during the previous year ranged widely - 46% of householdshunted an average of 8±9 Mongolian gazelles (the equivalent of a small cow), 31%hunted 5±5 corsac foxes, 29% hunted 42±47 marmots, 22% hunted 3±3 red foxes,and 17% hunted 3±2 gray wolves. Diff erences in mean annual income betweenhunting and non-hunting households were similar ($1,292±1,132 vs. $1,080±1,196)however the median diff erence was greater ($1,009 vs $749). However, non-huntinghouseholds owned signi?? cantly more livestock than hunting households (168±183vs. 93±92 Livestock Units), and the proportion of hunting households living belowthe poverty line was higher. Households that were larger or had few numbers oflivestock were more likely to engage in hunting than smaller households with morelivestock. Household and livestock variables were also signi?? cant predictors of ahouseholds likelihood of hunting Mongolian gazelle, Siberian marmot, and corsacfox, but not for red fox or gray wolf. Wildlife management policies will likely receivegreater acceptance and compliance if subsistence hunting needs were incorporated.