The animals beneath your feet
The Mongolian steppe looks empty at first, but it is full of life that lives at ground level. Burrows dot the grass, whistling calls come from rocks, and a sudden dive into a hole is often the only sign of what you have just passed. These small mammals are central to how the grassland works, and they are some of the most frequently seen wild animals on any trip outside the city.
Marmots
The marmot is the best known of the group. Mongolia has more than one kind of marmot, and the one most often mentioned is the Siberian marmot, known as the tarbagan. It is a large, stocky ground-dwelling rodent, typically seen sitting upright beside its burrow, then diving underground when it senses danger. Marmots live in family groups and use burrow systems for shelter and for hibernation, during which they spend winter underground. Which species lives where depends on region and elevation, and distribution details are better left to specialists.
Marmots eat grasses and herbs, and in summer they are busy building up fat reserves for winter. Their burrowing turns over soil, mixes in organic matter and can create habitat for other animals. Foxes, wolves, eagles and other predators depend on them in many areas, so they are a significant link between plants and carnivores.
Marmots have also been hunted for fur and meat in the past. Rules and attitudes around hunting have changed over time and vary by place. Marmot numbers have declined in parts of the country, and official protections can apply, so visitors should never assume that hunting or trade is allowed.
Pikas
Pikas are small, round, tailless relatives of rabbits and hares. The Daurian pika is a common species of the steppe and is sometimes seen near burrows in large colonies. Pikas do not hibernate; instead, they cut and store grass in small piles for winter. They are preyed on by many animals, including foxes, birds of prey and small carnivores. Their burrow systems provide shelter for other creatures, including some birds and lizards.
Because they graze, pikas can compete with livestock for forage when numbers are high, a point that is sometimes raised in discussions of pasture condition. Experts disagree about how large the effect is and whether control measures help or harm, so opinions among herders and scientists vary.
Voles, ground squirrels and jerboas
Other small mammals share the steppe. Voles are small rodents that can occur in large numbers in some years. Ground squirrels live in colonies and give alarm calls. Jerboas, which are small jumping rodents with long hind legs, are more common in desert and semi-desert areas and are mostly active at night. You may also see hedgehogs, hares and small weasel relatives.
Population sizes of many small mammals rise and fall, sometimes dramatically. When numbers are high, predators such as eagles and foxes have more to eat, and breeding success may increase. When numbers drop, those predators have a harder time.
The grassland food web
Small mammals do several jobs at once:
- They convert grass and seeds into food for predators.
- Their burrowing aerates and mixes soil and can influence plant growth.
- Their burrows provide shelter for other species.
- Their droppings return nutrients to the ground.
Without them, many raptors, foxes and other predators would struggle. The relationship is also visible in the behavior of birds, which is why the article on birds of prey includes marmots and pikas in the raptor diet. The broader picture of how grass, animals and weather fit together is the subject of the article on the Mongolian steppe.
What herders say
Herders often have close, practical knowledge of small animals, shaped by years of watching pasture. Remarks vary from family to family and region to region, so no single view is universal. Some common themes, reported in a general way, include:
- Concern that burrow colonies can damage or reduce good grazing in some places, and that livestock can injure legs in holes.
- Appreciation that marmot fat and meat have traditionally been valued as food and for some folk remedies, though the safety of this is a separate issue discussed below.
- Observations that marmot activity can signal the season, since emergence from hibernation in spring and disappearance in fall mark the year.
- Belief in some places that certain animals should be left alone, which fits a wider pattern of respect for nature seen in daily beliefs.
It is polite to ask a herder family what they think instead of offering your own opinion. The article on visiting a herder family offers more tips for such conversations.
A health caution
Marmots and some other wild rodents can carry diseases, including plague, which still occurs occasionally in parts of Mongolia and Central Asia. Authorities have at times issued warnings and local restrictions related to marmot hunting and handling. The risk to an ordinary visitor is generally low if basic precautions are followed, but it is serious enough to take seriously:
- Never touch, feed, hunt or pick up wild rodents, alive or dead.
- Avoid eating marmot meat unless you are sure it has been handled and prepared safely, and follow local official advice.
- Keep pets and children away from burrows and carcasses.
- Check current health advisories before travel, and seek medical advice for any illness after a trip.
Practical points about staying healthy appear in the article on food safety.
Watching without disturbing
The easiest way to see marmots is simply to stop the vehicle at a distance, wait quietly and use binoculars. Sit still and animals will often reappear. Do not walk toward burrows, which can collapse underfoot and disturb breeding animals. Watching small mammals is one of the quiet pleasures of the open grassland, and a few minutes of patience often shows a surprising amount of activity.