In 1992, the natural complex area encompassing the Khovsgol Lake basin was included in the category of globally significant natural areas under the Law on Special Protected Areas of Mongolia. The basin is home to 59 species of mammals, 244 species of birds, and 750 species of plants, about 60 of which are medicinal. The forests and taiga are inhabited by animals such as sable, Siberian weasel, marten, lynx, musk deer, moose, brown bear, wild boar, roe deer, red deer, squirrel, rock marten, steppe polecat, Pallas’s cat, corsac fox, snow leopard, red fox, wolf, reindeer, argali sheep, and ibex.
Endangered birds recorded in the Red Book of Mongolia, such as the whooper swan, black stork, Altai snowcock, Pallas’s fish eagle, black woodpecker, Siberian rubythroat, Mongolian lark, Siberian jay, and Daurian partridge, can also be found in this region.
Forests cover 28% of the Khovsgol basin, spanning 255,420 hectares. Tree species include aspen, birch with broad leaves, fragrant poplar, Siberian fir, Siberian larch, Scots pine, Siberian cedar, and Siberian spruce.
The taiga of the Khovsgol basin is home to the Dukha (Tsaatan) people, who refer to themselves as Uighurs. Their original homeland is around Shar Davaa and the Shishged River. The Dukha are reindeer herders who follow pastures seasonally throughout the four seasons. They are considered a Tuvan-origin Mongolized Uriankhai ethnic group who migrated from Tuva and settled in the Khovsgol taiga.
The Dukha are a unique national minority with their own language, customs, religion, and way of life. They speak the Uighur language and follow Shamanism. Their main livelihood involves herding reindeer and hunting. They live in extremely cold climates, with temperatures ranging from -31°C to -50°C. Researchers believe that the Dukha have no written history and that their traditional lifestyle is at risk of disappearing. The declining number of reindeer, vulnerability to diseases, and reduced physical health of the animals are endangering their traditional way of life.
In 1992, the natural complex area encompassing the Khovsgol Lake basin was included in the category of globally significant natural areas under the Law on Special Protected Areas of Mongolia. The basin is home to 59 species of mammals, 244 species of birds, and 750 species of plants, about 60 of which are medicinal. The forests and taiga are inhabited by animals such as sable, Siberian weasel, marten, lynx, musk deer, moose, brown bear, wild boar, roe deer, red deer, squirrel, rock marten, steppe polecat, Pallas’s cat, corsac fox, snow leopard, red fox, wolf, reindeer, argali sheep, and ibex.
Endangered birds recorded in the Red Book of Mongolia, such as the whooper swan, black stork, Altai snowcock, Pallas’s fish eagle, black woodpecker, Siberian rubythroat, Mongolian lark, Siberian jay, and Daurian partridge, can also be found in this region.
Forests cover 28% of the Khovsgol basin, spanning 255,420 hectares. Tree species include aspen, birch with broad leaves, fragrant poplar, Siberian fir, Siberian larch, Scots pine, Siberian cedar, and Siberian spruce.
The taiga of the Khovsgol basin is home to the Dukha (Tsaatan) people, who refer to themselves as Uighurs. Their original homeland is around Shar Davaa and the Shishged River. The Dukha are reindeer herders who follow pastures seasonally throughout the four seasons. They are considered a Tuvan-origin Mongolized Uriankhai ethnic group who migrated from Tuva and settled in the Khovsgol taiga.
The Dukha are a unique national minority with their own language, customs, religion, and way of life. They speak the Uighur language and follow Shamanism. Their main livelihood involves herding reindeer and hunting. They live in extremely cold climates, with temperatures ranging from -31°C to -50°C. Researchers believe that the Dukha have no written history and that their traditional lifestyle is at risk of disappearing. The declining number of reindeer, vulnerability to diseases, and reduced physical health of the animals are endangering their traditional way of life.
Lake Khovsgol
Lake Khovsgol was formed approximately 7 million years ago. It lies across the territories of Alag-Erdene, Renchinlkhumbe, Khankh, and Chandmani-Undur soums of Khovsgol Province, located 101 km north of Murun city. The lake has an area of 2,760 square kilometers, is 34–36 km wide, 136 km long, and 262 meters deep, situated at 1,645 meters above sea level. The shoreline stretches 414 kilometers, and it ranks second in freshwater reserves in Asia.
A total of 46 rivers and streams flow into Lake Khovsgol, draining a catchment area of 5,300 square kilometers. It holds 1% of the world’s fresh water. About 70% of the lakebed is deeper than 100 meters. It is home to 12 species of fish, including the Siberian grayling and lenok. By the second half of November, the lake completely freezes over, and the ice thickness reaches about 1 meter.
The lake is surrounded by majestic mountains. To the southwest, it is bordered by the Khoridol Saridag and Bayan mountain ranges, with elevations ranging from 3,000 to 3,200 meters. The western shore of the lake is steep and rugged, while the eastern side slopes more gently. To the west of Lake Khovsgol lies the Darkhad Depression, one of the coldest areas in Mongolia.
There are four islands in Lake Khovsgol: Modon Khui, Khadan Khui, Dalain Khui, and Baga Khui. The largest is Dalain Khui Island, which rises 126 meters above the water, measures 3 km in length and 2 km in width, covering an area of 5.8 square kilometers, and is densely forested. Khadan Khui Island has high cliffs and is a popular nesting site for birds. Modon Khui Island is noted for its stunning natural beauty. The lake’s water clarity reaches up to 24.5 meters. Prehistoric petroglyphs from the Bronze Age can be seen carved into rocks along the shoreline.
The Legend of the Khovsgol lake
During the period when Mongolia was under the rule of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the people were impoverished by heavy taxes and exploitation of their natural and social resources. At that time, the Manchu emperor decided to impose a tax on Lake Khovsgol. In an effort to avoid this, the locals argued, “Khovsgol is not a lake but a sea.” When asked to prove it, they said, “Khovsgol is a sea because it receives water from 100 rivers.”
However, Chinese-Manchu experts who had already studied the lake knew that it did not have 100 tributaries. A date was set to count the rivers flowing into the lake. The Mongolians, seeking divine intervention, conducted rituals and offerings the day before. Miraculously, heavy rains fell, and every mountain ravine turned into a stream. In just one section, more than 100 streams were counted, making it impossible to continue counting further.
This incident was reported to the emperor, who not only declared Khovsgol a sea but also exempted it from taxation.