Question

Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another. What are the advantages to the environment of this continuous movement?

Answer 1

There were many need of nomadic tribes to move from one place to another:

• The nomadic tribes had no regular fields of their own from where they could get fodder for their cattle.
• They lived with their herd in the low hills of the Himalayas from September to April because; the huge mountains or high altitude were covered with snow during this period. In these areas, the dry scrub forests provided pastures for their herds during this period.
• With the onset of summer, as the snow melted and the hills side began to be covered with lush green with a variety of new grasses, the pastoralists started their northward march for their summer grazing grounds.
• Again with the onset of winter when the mountains began to be covered with snow and there was a dearth of nutritious forage, these pastoralists on the move again, this time on their downward journey.

The movement of the nomadic pastoralists from the downward to the upward areas and vice-versa allowed sufficient time for natural restoration of vegetation grounds. Their continuous shifting provided sufficient forage to the different animals both at the high mountains and the lower hills. They also helped in maintaining the quality of the pastures.