Marmot hunting still illegal, penalty set at 300,000 MNT

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism made marmot hunting for household and industrial purposes illegal through 2019 to protect the declining population of marmots.

As specified in the Law on Animals, the sales and distribution of animals and raw materials of animal origin are banned and the Law on Conflicts states any profit from such activities will be confiscated, compensation demanded for damages, and a fine of 300,000 MNT imposed on individuals, but up to three million MNT will charged from legal entities.

Marmots are an important member of the Mongolian steppe ecosystem and are often defined as “keystone species” – a species whose impact on its community is disproportionally large relative to abundance. Marmots are considered as “ecosystem engineers” because they perform a variety of functions. For example, marmot burrowing brings soil to the surface which recycles nutrients and aerating soil; burrows provide shelter for many native species such as hedgehogs, rodents and foxes; marmot selective feeding habits affect diversity and composition of vegetation; and marmots are an important food source for raptors and carnivorous mammals.

A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows that marmots are also economically significant to Mongolia, providing 1.2 million skins on average for fur trade. However, the recent dramatic decline in marmot population across Mongolia, roughly 75 percent decline over the last 60 years, prompted the government to ban marmot hunting altogether through 2019.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, there were approximately 15 million marmots in Mongolia as of 1990, but by 2001, only five million remained. The ministry has been taking progressive steps to increase marmot population, including relocation of marmots since 2010. For example, the ministry relocated 200 marmots to Khentii and Tuv provinces, which assisted efforts to increase marmot population.