[ Harvesting ]

Nomadic herdsmen and urban Mongolians utilize wildlife in a variety of ways, including direct use of meat, skins, and other animal products. Other activities include commercial marketing of skins, commercial marketing of fish and fish meat, large-scale harvest of gazelles for the commercial market (till mid-1990s), and sport hunting of game and trophy species by Mongolian and foreign sportsmen. Some 59 mammal, 128 bird, and 30 fish species are utilized for commercial purposes and for direct subsistence. According to government estimates, over 2 million terrestrial animals are harvested annually. Commercial exploitation of fish began in the mid-1950s, with the main fishery industries located on Boir, Buun Tsagaan and Ugii lakes. It is estimated that fish product reserves are approximately 3000 tons, distributed among the country's largest 20 lakes. Marmot is the animal, which is harvested, in a large quantity every year. According to the rough estimates, there 0.7-1.3 million of marmots were harvested during 1999-2000.

Foreign hunters harvest some valuable and rare animals every year on special licenses. In 2000, 40 Argali, 259 ibex and 69 gazelles were licensed for foreign hunters, and 50 saker falcons were exported alive. Over 100 species of medicinal plants are used for producing about 200 medicines. In the crop sector, strip cultivation is practiced on about 170.0 ha. Arable land used during last 30 years, became a subject to erosion and deterioration. The plant diseases, insects and weeds are spread due to outdated methods of farming and traditional methods of crop protection and cultivation.

[ Industrialization ]

Since the 1960s, the increasing use of energy, construction of new power stations, and the intensive use of strip mining methods have seriously been contributing to the deterioration of the habitats of various species. As of December 2000, across the country, 1329 economic entities obtained licenses, 429 obtained utilization licenses, and 110 entities conducted mining exploration. Of the 839 ha of land eroded during utilization, only 426 ha of land has been restored. 10.4 tones of gold was mined from an area of 5796.3 ha and in the process 1148.4 ha of land was eroded.