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The Mongolian Yak |
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Yak are an indispensable part of the animal husbandry in the high
mountain regions where yak are used both for transport and for their
productive capabilities. In recent years, the textile industry has
greatly increased its demand for yak fibre. The production of hybrids
between yak and other cattle is also of great significance because of
their better meat and milk production relative to that of the parental
types. Yak in Mongolia share with yak elsewhere the ability to
withstand periods of hunger and to make up quickly in the spring the
large weight losses sustained over winter.
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The Mongolian Sheep |
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 Distributed widely throughout Mongolia are various breeds of local fat-tailed carpet-wool sheep. Totalling nearly 14 million, the sheep of Mongolia are well equipped to withstand low temperatures, unfavourable ecological conditions and poor vegetation. Grazing takes place on year-round pastures with no supplementary feeding, while improvement has been achieved by crossing with exotic, fine and semi-fine wool sheep breeds. This section describes 15 of these indigenous breeds.
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The Argali Sheep of Mongolia |
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 The Argali sheep or Bighorn is the largest sheep in the world and is protected. They are fond of high mountainranges and are the prey of snow leopards. Old males can live up to 30 years. Mongolia is one of the last refuges for these impressive beasts. They are particularly noted for the massive size and weight of their curved horns. Despite this, Argali (argal in Mongolian) are famously agile on rocky outcrops.
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The Mongolian Horses |
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 The Mongolian horse (Mongolian Мор, mor) is the favorite animal of the Mongols. Horses were the main tool of the nomad, enabling them not only to manage their herds, but also to become a potent militaty force when called upon to fight. World history was altered by the steppe horse and thise who rode them, and the horses found in Mongolia today are the decendents of those world-beating horses.
Ownership of large numbers of horses has always seen as a sign of wealth, with all horse-owners aspiring to breed a horse that can win races. Horse racing, particularly at the races at the Naadam festival held in the summer, is considered to be a very important, being linked with old shamanist notions of good fortune and blessings from the gods. Many people try to touch a winning horse after a race in order to accumulate some extra luck!
In Mongolia, the horses live outdoors all year (at 30°C in summer down to -40°C in winter) and are not provided with fodder except when the snow is more than a foot deep. In the summer, mare's milk is fermented into the mild and slightly sour national beverage Airag. Ethnic mongols rarely eat horseflesh, except for some medical conditions, but the Turkic Kazakh minority in the far-west of the country commonly eat horsemeat, much to the horror of the mongolians.
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Przewalski's Horse |
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 Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii or Equus caballus
przewalskii, classification is debated), pronounced in English as
/ʃe'væl.skiː/, also known as the Asian Wild Horse or Mongolian Wild
Horse, or Takhi, is the closest living wild relative of the domestic
Horse.
Most "wild" horses today, such as the American Mustang, are actually
feral animals, horses that were once domesticated but escaped and
reverted to an apparently wild status. The Przewalski's Horse, on the
other hand, has never been successfully domesticated and remains a
truly wild animal today. There were once several types of Equid that
had never been successfully domesticated, including the Tarpan, Onager,
and others. However, most have become extinct, with the Przewalski's
Horse the only remaining truly wild horse in the world.
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The Mongolian Gobi Bear |
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Gobi bear (Ursus arctos gobiensis)
 Mongolian Gobi bears are extremely rare and understudied, with a population of only 50 remaining. According to a comparative survey on breeding of Gobi bear, the male begins to breed from five years and the female starts from four years.
An observation was undertaken into Gobi bears' locations such as the Khukh Ders, Khatuu Bulag, Allan Tevsh, Suuj Bulag, Mukhar Zadgai, Tsagaan Burgas, Khushoot and Sharkhuls oasis. As a result of the observation, new footprints of the Gobi bear were revealed at the source of Khajuu Bulag (spring) of the Segs Tsagaan Bogd Mountain, as well as a photo and video recording of a fully grown Gobi bear, which was eating fodder. Also new footprints of one or two gobi bears at the Tsagaan Tohoi fodder point and near the spring Khajuu Bulag were measured and recorded.
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The Taimen White Salmon Fish |
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The Mongolian Wolf |
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Mongolian wolves are skilled and resourceful hunters, respected by Mongolians, but also disliked for their preying on livestock.  The mongolian word for wolf is chon.
In the Mongolian Epic The Secret History of the Mongols, wolves are portrayed with respect for their power, stealth, and tenacity. Today in Mongolia, wolves are still very respected. It is believed that no one can see a wolf unless he or she is that wolf’s equal, and you cannot kill a wolf unless it chooses to submit to you. A large part of why Mongolians respect wolves so much stems from their way of life. Historically, Mongolia has been a nation of herders and hunters, and in both, wolves are very influential. As herders, Mongolians had to respect a wolf’s ability to kill their animals and disrupt their lives. As hunters, Mongolians respect wolves because of their ability to be such powerful and successful hunters.
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Mongolian Death Worm |
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 The Mongolian Death Worm is a snakelike creature reported to exist in the Gobi Desert. It is generally considered a cryptozoological creature, one whose sightings and reports are disputed or unconfirmed. A Belgian tourist reports being abducted by death worms, but his claims have not been verified.
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About Mongolia 
Bactrian camels are large members of the Camelid family. They are often confused with Dromedary camels, who only have one hump and live in hot, desert climates. In contrast, Bactrian camels have two humps and are native to the cold, mountain and high desert climates of Central Asia. Their humps are filled with fat, not water. These fat stores are used by the camel for nourishing the body during times of little water or food. As the fat reserves are burned, the humps lose their rigidity and can actually fall over to the side. The two humps create a saddle in between that humans can sit on to ride these animals. These animals are in many ways a symbol of central-asia, since they were the main form of transport used for millenia along the celebrated silk routes which fed trade between East and West.
