
ULAANBAATAR Bruce Elfstrom got a firsthand look at the fragility of Mongolian nomads' existence while producing a documentary in 2004.
Elfstrom, a biologist and outdoor adventurer, was camping with a film crew and some nomadic herder families on the vast steppes of rural Mongolia. He was awakened one freezing, star-filled night by the sound of slaughter. A wolf pack had attacked, killing 17 horses and 30 other animals.