Hunted animals as Mongolian medicine: the case of the consumption of marmot

Certain animal species have a special place in Mongolian cosmology, particularly those that are hunted as both food and medicine. The article describes herders’ perceptions towards key hunted wild animals with particular focus on the marmot, revealing how certain body parts and organs assist in an improvement of health and wellbeing. What are the perceptions of health and wellbeing amongst the Mongolian herding community in relation to hunted animals, particularly marmots today? Instead of avoiding marmots as they harbour the plague, many Mongolian herders hunt marmot and eat the meat and organs because they perceive the marmot contains powerful medicinal qualities.