5 million animals died in severe winter in Mongolia

Last Updated on March 24, 2024 6:50 am

About 500,000 animals have died of cold in Mongolia this year in its worst winter in half a century. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has warned that the food supply and livelihood of thousands of residents living there are threatened. CNN news.

Mongolia experiences severe winters from December to March. Temperatures even drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Mongolia’s official statistics show that at the end of 2023, there were 64.7 million such animals, including sheep, goats, horses and cows. Large numbers of livestock die when the temperature drops too much. At least 4.4 million animals died there, including the winter of 2022-23. Even in the winter of 2010-11, more than one crore animals died due to the terrible Jude. Which is about one-fourth of the country’s total livestock at that time.

According to a report of the United Nations, this year the winter was more severe than usual. Due to climate change, the temperature is dropping further and the severity of winter is increasing. Such weather is locally known as ‘jud’. Mongolia has experienced six earthquakes in the past decade.

Mongolia’s approximately 3 million inhabitants traditionally make a living by herding livestock. They meet their food and other needs by rearing and selling cows, goats, horses. Alexander Mathew, director of IFRC’s Asia Pacific region, said these residents, who depend on these cattle for all their needs, including their own survival, have become completely destitute within a few months. Some of them are no longer able to feed themselves or keep their homes warm.

At least 2,250 pastoralist families have lost 70 percent of their livestock since November. Now more than 7 thousand families are deprived of three meals a day. The Jude situation affected two-thirds of the country. And if the winter continues, the situation is expected to worsen. Mathew said, although it is spring in nature, it is still winter in Mongolia. It is still snowing all around. And livestock is dying.

The United Nations says 70 percent of Mongolia’s people are victims of “jud” or similar conditions. The government in the country has promised to help the farmers. In the meantime, the authorities have started a campaign to supply straw to the herdsmen. But if the weather does not improve, this situation will be difficult to overcome.