SOME ISSUES OF ILLEGAL HUNTING: THE CASE OF MONGOLIA

The main objective of this study is to analyze the scale, underlying drivers, and regional context of illegal hunting in Mongolia, while emphasizing its profound impacts on key species such as the argali sheep, snow leopard, and Mongolian wild ass. Over the past four decades, illegal hunting has contributed to dramatic wildlife declines, with some species reduced by as much as 90 percent since the 1980s. Argali populations, for instance, fell from approximately 60,000 in the mid-1980s to only 13,000–15,000 by 2001, while snow leopard poaching has been estimated at 34–53 individuals per year, and populations have experienced annual losses of up to 20 percent due to poaching. Although official records show that Mongolia legally exported around 5,800 wildlife samples under 155 permits, much of the illegal trade remains undocumented, and recent assessments point to significant enforcement gaps, particularly in relation to online markets. When placed in a regional perspective, Mongolia’s absolute losses appear lower than those of China or Kazakhstan; however, its fragile ecosystems, relatively small wildlife populations, and limited governance capacity render its ecological vulnerability disproportionately severe. In conclusion, illegal hunting in Mongolia constitutes a critical threat to biodiversity and underscores the urgent need for stronger conservation governance, improved enforcement, and greater regional cooperation.