It is said that the bearded vulture (“yol” in Mongolian) originates from Umnugovi aimag. The bearded vulture is apparently a sharp-sighted and high flying bird. Recently, the Local Residents` Representative Khural announced the recognition of the bearded vulture as the Pride of the Gobi Desert.

There was a poll conducted among local residents and youths in Umnugovi aimag about 10 important birds of the Gobi Desert.

About 1597 civilians out of 2421 said that the most important bird was the bearded vulture.

The bearded vulture is found in the mountains of Bayanbor, Tostiin nuruu, Sevrei, Nemegt, Altan, Noyod and Gobi Gurvansaikhan in Umnugovi aimag.

In Mongolia, hunting of the bearded vulture was banned from 1953. The bird was added to the rare animal list of Mongolia by a Government decision in 2012.