Don't eat raw marmot (Mongolia)

Mongolian "gastronomy" can hold some nasty surprises, and tourists are currently in quarantine over fears of the plague—a disease that's far from extinct. So, don’t eat marmots, especially raw... https://www.bluewin.ch/fr/infos/suisse/la-peste-bloque-des-suisses-en-mongolie-246709.html

Thanks Sissi for the warning. I had no idea the plague was still a thing in Mongolia. I’m leaving in early June with my daughter, and we’re already dreading Mongolian meals (we’ll be eating and sleeping in the yurts of Mongolian families). They love all kinds of offal, but we don’t. Even if it’s considered rude, we won’t be eating the offal—just the look and taste would make us sick. Have a great day!

Hi Nathalie, No need to panic about the plague... it’s been recurring for quite a few years now. A few kilometers after crossing the Mongolian border on the western side, there’s a mandatory stop to disinfect the tires of vehicles coming from Russia, and the same thing happens on the Russian side when returning. Back in 2011, I had the chance to pass through a village (Biger toward Altai), and the whole area was under surveillance with people in protective suits. They asked us to leave the area... but I think it was the same further on—animals don’t have many barriers out there. 😉 Since you’re the "client," you can ask your driver to specify that you don’t eat offal, only grilled meat. They should be able to explain that to the nomads without offending them. So no need to worry too much... and besides, it only affects the Swiss... 😏

No, of course it’s not just the Swiss who are affected 😂, but since it was a Swiss media outlet, you’ve got to grab the reader’s attention. The plague is also present in the USA, for example, and you need to be careful with prairie dogs—there are signs warning tourists not to get too close. As for those poor marmots, I know that in Valais some people eat them, but cooked, of course.

As for those poor marmots, I know that in Valais some people eat them, but cooked

Yeah, raw... they're tough in Valais... 😏

On the other hand, I'd love to meet people who actually want to eat marmots..🙂 Personally, I'm not much of a "meat" person, even though I'm not vegetarian, so eating a marmot would gross me out more than anything else..

I wouldn’t eat marmot for anything in the world, but as I mentioned, there are hunters in Valais who do, and apparently it’s a known consumption in Mongolia. I don’t have any particular knowledge about eating marmot—I hope it’s really rare.

Hi Jean-Pierre

Yes, you're right—I'll ask the driver to speak for me.

I really don’t want to offend the nomads, but three weeks of offal... I can’t even handle a day of it. Same with mare’s milk or anything similar—my daughter and I are allergic to it.

Have a great day, and thanks again for the amazing video! 😉

I'm in Kyrgyzstan, and I just got back from a horseback trek in Sary Mogol. Nowadays, marmots are protected there, so they're everywhere. They're nice and chubby, and after eating yak and bread for three days, I really wanted to try one!

Yeah, but that’s still weird... marmots have just finished hibernating at this time of year. I doubt there’s much left of them... unless they’re partying underground or something. 😏

Honestly, that surprised me too. I was expecting to see scrawny animals. Then again, I didn’t skin one, so maybe it was their winter fur that gave that impression.

On the other hand, I’d love to meet people who want to eat marmots..

Me (yes, I know it’s not great to eat such a cute animal that grew up in the wild, and that there’s no issue eating others raised in factory-farm conditions...). It does seem like it’s really good meat, but only if you know how to prepare it. I should try to get invited to a Savoyard enthusiast’s place one day.

Pre-Trip Info. Been following this for a week now. (Gonna have to dive into the "shady fake" stuff this time, in a 4x4—whew!)

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in Bayan-Ölgii Province, specifically in the Altai soum area and around the city of Ölgii. Local authorities have implemented health measures and temporary movement restrictions to limit the spread of the animal disease. Based on currently available information, these measures primarily affect the impacted zones and mainly target local travel, as well as the control of livestock and animal product movements. Access to certain areas of Bayan-Ölgii Province may be temporarily restricted or subject to enhanced health checks. We recommend checking your itinerary regularly and consulting our website, which will be updated as Mongolian authorities announce specific restrictions.