“Last year, Mongolia had an extremely dry summer, after which usually comes the “Zud”. However, the local administrative announced about it to herders… there is no choice to protect their animals due to lack of forage and grasses for their cattle.
Most herders got loan to buy forage and grasses for their cattle from east of Mongolia before starting winter, unfortunately their stored forage not good enough to pass the winter.
Ulaankhus (April 7, 2023) – Twnety-three of the twenty one Mongolian provinces were hit with extreme cold called “Zud”. During this year’s zud, daytime temperatures hovered around negative 25 ° C and at night dropped to negative 40 ° C. Large amounts of snow and thick layers of ice covered most of the pastures. These extreme conditions have killed more than 200,000 farm animals. For some Mongolian herders, animals are the only source of their livelihood.
According to local statistic information, the “Zud” has affected nearly 240 household at Dayan and almost about 970 animals died from Dayan bagh. The “Source of steppe nomads NGO, together with the Friends of Source of Steppe Nomads NGO”and the Local government, helps people in small administrative baghs of the provinces of Ulaankhus in the west of Mongolia. The most vulnerable families who lost their animals and the families who are facing the “Zud” trying to safe rest of their animals receive animal food packages that aid will help them survive the most critical period and to protect whatever they have for now before they can rebuild their livelihoods.
