Khanty People
The Khanty (approximately 31,000) inhabit the Ob River basin in Western Siberia—a vast region of wetlands, taiga forests, and harsh continental climate. They endure extreme cold (-50°C winters), spring floods, mosquito plagues, and isolation. Traditional fishing, reindeer herding, bear cult ceremonies, and survival skills in swampy taiga define their adaptation to one of Siberia's most challenging environments, now threatened by oil extraction.