Marmots have been linked with several fatal cases of bubonic plague in humans over the past couple of years
Russia has increased efforts to prevent the public from hunting marmots after reports of cases of bubonic plague in neighbouring China and Mongolia.
Two cases in Mongolia last week were linked to people in the western province of Khovd eating marmot meat. Then, on Sunday, a warning was issued by authorities in the Chinese city of Bayan Nur, located in the Inner Mongolia region, after a local hospital reported a suspected case.
The region has now explicitly forbade the hunting and eating of all large rodents and told the public to report any sick or dead marmots they find, as well as suspected cases of the plague. These plague-prevention mechanisms will be enforced for the rest of the year.
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