The little-known Brokpa tribals of Ladakh, who claim to have been vegans for some 2,200 years of their existence, are slowly opting for an alternative diet comprising dairy products, eggs and meat — thanks to climate change.

Climate change has made summers and winters warmer and brought on pests, which have wreaked havoc on traditional crops, forcing the Brokpa to change their lifestyle.

The Nambardar or head of Dha villag, Tsering Namjial, was quoted by IANS as saying, We have had to shift to an alternative lifestyle, not exactly what the Brokpa once used to be. People also consume meat. Some old folks still avoid this, but eggs, meat and milk are on the menu.

Practising old-style Buddhism with the Lha deity at the centre of their faith, some Borkpas still practise veganism and rely on what grows from the earth out of fear of getting polluted.