The goals of our expedition were three-fold: to gather baseline data on aquatic fauna, including invertebrates and fish; to contribute to research begun by other scientists in the watershed; and to raise awareness of the river’s intrinsic value at both the local and global levels. The team achieved substantial success on all three objectives. Our scientific projects included the continuation of an ongoing DNA study of two ancient members of the salmon family—taimen (Hucho tai

The expedition launched in mid-August 2018 from Mongolia’s Ulaan Taiga Special Protected Area. Under the guidance of Tumursukh Jal, director of the protected area, the team ascended Mount Belchir (elevation 10,994 feet). The flanks of this mountain provide the headwaters for several rivers, including the Delgermörön, one of the Selenge’s two largest tributaries. After documenting the river’s source, we began a descent of the Delgermörön by kayak, then transferred to rowboats