Monsoon Asia is favored for moderate climate and abundant precipitation. This means possibility for existence of agriculture. This region is different for arid land or polar region where are not survived without the dependence for pastoralism or hunter and gathering. Pastoralists of Monsoon Asia often pursue agriculture or hunting and gathering as well as pastoralism. Even if they specialize pastoralism, they have economic and social relationships with farmers and merchants by trade of livestock products. These points relate with the form of nomadism. Pure nomad is unusual among Monsoon Asia. Mobility of pastoralism is extended from nomadic pastoralism, transhumance, daily grazing, keeping in livestock shed, along with the herders’ multiple strategies. People select the balance of pastoralism and other activities. Consequently, the types of mobility or nomadism change.
Sheep herders of East Nepal classified as a transhumant herder. Their family live in sedentary house, cultivate their fields, and only a part of the family member engages in pastoralism. sheep herders migrate yearly from alpine summer pasture to subtropical winter pasture, most of their villagers depend on daily grazing or keeping in livestock shed. Among the life history, forms of pastoralism changes in their life. Some people start transhumance, and some people retired from transhumance and changes to dairy grazing.
This paper analyzes the causes of change and consider why the types of pastoralism change. As conclusion, the paper points up selections of sheep herders reflect type of mobility or nomadism. They can select pastoralism economically and socially as a means of their life. Recently, economic options beside for transhumance spread, there is still possibility for pastoralism. In case of mountain, access to various altitude zone is open if people move on mountain slope. So, even if people retired from transhumance, they could continue pastoralism as daily grazing.
