Mongolia: 1.5 Million Livestock Dead

Extreme Cold and Snowfall

On frozen and snow-covered ground, herds in Mongolia can barely find any food.

Extreme cold and snowfall have inflicted severe economic losses on herders in Mongolia. More than 1.5 million livestock have already perished this winter in the Central Asian country, according to the state emergency commission.

The Mongolians call the snow and ice disasters that repeatedly strike the country during the winter months “Dzud.” The weather phenomenon causes livestock to run out of fodder because the ground is frozen or the pastures are buried under masses of snow.

Livestock Farming as the Lifeline of the Mongolian Economy

Losses are often particularly high when a dry summer has preceded the winter, during which the animals were unable to build up sufficient fat reserves.

The United Nations has also already warned of the situation. Livestock farming is an integral part of the Mongolian economy, culture and way of life, according to a UN report published two weeks ago.

Now herders are struggling with fodder shortages and skyrocketing fodder prices. An estimated 64 million head of livestock exist in Mongolia. For Mongolia, this is already the second consecutive “Dzud” winter.

Pope Francis Warns of the Climate Crisis

Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with those affected by the cold wave in Mongolia following his Sunday Angelus prayer before pilgrims and the faithful in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. “This extreme phenomenon too is a sign of climate change and its effects,” said the head of the Catholic Church.

The “climate crisis” is a worldwide social problem and affects the most vulnerable above all. Francis had only visited Mongolia last September, where very few Catholics live.