Photographer Visits Lost Mongolian Tribe, Captures Stunning Photos Of Their Life And Culture

Human civilization has come a long way since the early days of our species. Rising out of caves and undeveloped lands, humans have built cities and homes that the early generations could never have imagined.

"The number of families has fallen because a lot of them have been synthesized with the mainstream community," he says. "Many of them have moved to the towns and even to the capital cities." The biggest threat in Sardar-Afkhami's view is the defection from the younger Dukha generation, who don't want to live in the harsh conditions in the taiga (or "snow forest"). "They want to go down and stay in warm cabins in the winter, maybe buy a car and drive," he says. There's a big appeal to the modern life. The hardships of the traditional life as a reindeer herder certainly play a factor. "The rise of gold mining in the area, as well as the government's move to restrict the Tsaatan's hunting ground, has also hastened the decline.