Snow Pig Meat, Tibetan name "Qiwa", also known as: drought leopard, marmot. It is the meat of the Himalayan marmot, a member of the squirrel family, and has high edible and medicinal value, making it a delicious delicacy. So where can you find the most authentic snow pig meat?
[Where to Find the Most Authentic Snow Pig Meat?]
1. Ecological environment
(1) Inhabits high mountain meadows and grasslands at an altitude of 2800-5000m. Lives in caves and colonies. Active during the day and hibernates in winter. Feeds mainly on tender branches and leaves of herbaceous plants and shrubs.
(2) Inhabits grasslands and meadows at an altitude of 2500-3500m. Prefers moist environments. Lives in caves. The entrance of the cave is marked by a mound of soil, known as a marmot mound. Feeds on plants.
(3) Inhabits the edge of geothermal fluctuations, where grasslands and deserts meet. Lives in colonies. Builds caves on high ground or slopes, with mounds of soil outside the entrance. Feeds on grass roots and seeds.
Distribution of snow pig meat habitats!
Snow Pig Meat
(4) This species is one of the representative species in the subalpine grassland zone. Inhabits high mountain meadows and dense grassy areas on grasslands. Lives in caves and also prefers to live in colonies. Yellow marmot mounds can be found near the entrance of the cave. Feeds mainly on Cyperaceae and Gramineae plants.
2. Distribution of resources
(1) Distributed in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet and other places.
(2) Only distributed in the northern part of Xinjiang.
(3) Distributed in eastern Inner Mongolia and northern Xinjiang.
(4) Distributed in western and southern Xinjiang.
[Medicinal Value]
Snow pig bones are taken from the limbs, cleaned of residual meat, and dried in a well-ventilated place. The dried limbs are not very large, with white bones and a slight yellow tint, and the cross-section is oily and thick. They are ideal for treating rheumatism, joint pain, and numbness in the limbs.
Snow pig oil is best captured when the snow pig is hibernating. Their caves usually have multiple entrances, but only one is left open when capturing them, and the rest are blocked. Then, sulfur and pepper are used to fumigate the cave, or water is poured in to drive them out. At this time, the cave entrance is covered with a sack, and they can be captured. After capturing and killing them, the fatty tissue is removed from the abdomen and placed in their stomach, then hung up to dry.
Snow pig bones and fat can be used to treat rheumatism, itchy sores, body ringworm, and boils.
[Economic Value]
Every part of the snow pig meat is valuable: the meat is edible; the fat can be used medicinally, internally to treat hemoptysis and externally to treat burns. It can also be processed into high-end cosmetics, with moisturizing and skin care effects. Side effects: it is drying, warm, and slightly toxic.
The fur of snow pig meat has good leather quality, it is solid and wear-resistant. The color dyeing performance of snow pig meat is excellent, and the processed fur is shiny and vibrant. When used to make fur coats, it has high artistic value.
