At least two million animals have died in Mongolia in the past year due to extreme winter, a government official revealed recently.
Temperatures in the landlocked country can go as low as -50 Celsius between December and March, threatening animals and vast biodiversity.
The United Nations (UN) said the recent wave of extreme cold has not been seen in the past.
2.1 Million Died Last Year
The France 24 news reported that 2.1 million livestock had died from starvation and exhaustion out of 64.7 million animals in the entire country.
The United Nations report claimed that the extreme winters, known as dzud in the local language, make it harder for animals to find pasture, eventually leading them to die of food shortage.
Experts claim that “seventy percent of Mongolia is experiencing “dzud or near dzud” conditions”, 53% more than the usual cold in winter seasons in Mongolia.
The country’s agriculture ministry noted that climate change is intensifying the frequency of dzuds, which is alarming not only to animals but to humans as well.
