Along the Uur river, Mongolia — Here in the glacial-blue waters of this wild and remote river, the elusive Siberian salmon, known as the taimen, is in danger of vanishing forever. Scientists and American sport fishermen working to save the taimen have drafted an unlikely ally: a 26-year-old Buddhist monk who wears a mustard-colored robe and uses a single name, Gantulga. Their plan calls for Gantulga and his fellow monks to use their moral authority to persuade the locals to stamp out poaching and habitat destruction. The wealthy fly fishermen must do their part by pumping money into the local economy. The hope: These disparate partners can persuade Mongolians to protect their wildlife.
