The people of the taiga who live in the forest in Khuvsgul in the northern part of Mongolia, following the reindeer pastures for four seasons, are called Tsaatan. Historians believe that the Tsaatan migrated from Tuva and settled in the Khuvsgul taiga. Today, more than 200 people or about only 40 households live in the harsh climate of minus 31-50 in the winter. Since there is no grass for reindeer to eat on the steppes, they must go to the mountains and taiga. Therefore, the Tsaatan people follow the reindeer pastures for four seasons. When the weather warms up, they make dairy products and cheese from reindeer milk. The reindeer milk is very fatty, making the tea very nutritious. The horns of this animal fall off every year and grow new ones. In summer, their horns are bloody and immature until almost September, and then gradually turn into bone horn. A reindeer can easily carry a person weighing about 60-70 kg, but if a heavier person sits on it, it will tire. The reindeer is a gentle animal, not aggressive, and can find its food by smelling under the thick snow. It gives birth only once a year. The reindeers are not resistant to flies and mosquitoes in the heat, so it is better for them to go to the cool taiga in the summer. One reindeer produces only 300 grams of milk, although the milk is small in quantities, the quality is rich and thick. The more snow falls, the more it gives strength to reindeers. Since reindeer love salt and snow, they come running every morning. The only thing that worries the reindeer people is the wolf. As long as the wolf does not come, the reindeer are at peace. The sun rises late in the taiga and sets early. In winter, they melt the snow and make tea. The air is fresh and clear, and the snow is white, so the people are friendly in the taiga. Since the reindeer people are very few in number, they intermarry. Eastern taiga men marry western taiga women, and western taiga women marry eastern taiga men.
You can see the proof of the fact in the Taiga that people there are completely absorbed in nature. The Tsaatan do not practice agriculture at all. Because it is impossible to grow vegetables and wheat in the swampy soil of the taiga. Therefore, they collect flowers and plants from the virgin nature and use them for food and traditional healing methods. Since Reindeers do not have hooves, they are better able to cross the swampy taiga than horses, and are more productive. After milking in the morning, the herd of deer goes out to graze around the valley. They all return themselves by evening. But the calves, or younger ones are tied to their stilts and all stay there, thinking about their mothers. This is how a day of nomads lasts. They are a Shaman. They have their own rituals for celebrating marriage. One of the main problems facing the Tsaatan people is that they strive to send their children to school and receive an education, because the distance between the school and the home is far since they live in remote area, and the conditions of the school dormitories are poor, so school dropouts are common. As a result, the level of higher education among the youth of the taiga is low. In addition, the main problem they face is that they do not always have access to health services.
Citizens living in the taiga are not eligible for pensions, benefits, and insurance provided by the government due to the lack of jobs and lack of social insurance.
