Seven million farm animals killed by extreme weather phenomenon

An extreme weather phenomenon – blamed on climate change – has killed over 7.1 million animals in Mongolia this year.

The phenomenon known as “dzud” is a deadly combination of drought and harsh, snowy winters and poses a serious threat to communities across the country.

Dzud, meaning disaster, occurs when temperature changes cause thaw and freeze cycles that form ice barriers over feedlots and cause livestock to starve.

This year’s dzud is the worst in nearly half a century.

A dzud occurs once a decade, but this year’s dzud was the sixth in the past decade. At its peak this year, 90% of Mongolia was covered with a thick layer of snow.

In spring, deaths among malnourished livestock and their young are common.

According to state media, 2.1 million cattle, sheep and goats died by February, and by May the number had already risen to 7.1 million.

The total death toll could rise to 14.9 million animals, said Deputy Prime Minister S. Amarsaikhan, according to state media.

Experts in conversation with Newsweek attributed the increasing severity of dzuds in Mongolia to climate change.

“Due to the interplay of climate change and environmental degradation, dzuds are becoming more frequent and severe,” said Olga Dzhumaeva, head of the East Asia delegation of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). “The phenomenon, which is unique to Mongolia, is due to harsh winter conditions, which are exacerbated by summer droughts. This combination creates a vicious cycle in which inadequate grazing land in summer leads to malnourished livestock that are then unable to withstand the harsh winter conditions.”

“Climate change has significantly disrupted the seasonal cycle in Mongolia, resulting in more frequent and intense summer droughts followed by extreme winters.”

Mongolia’s economy is heavily dependent on livestock farming, which accounts for 80% of agricultural production and 11% of GDP.

The dzud is not only affecting the animal population, but many people in the country are also struggling to survive. The Khurelbaatar family told the IFRC how their herd shrank from over 400 animals to fewer than 100 during the winter.

“Starving and exhausted pregnant sheep are particularly at risk,” says herder Khurelbaatar B.

The family of five struggled to afford food and basic necessities after losing their livestock. Their well was also blocked by snow, forcing the family to melt snow to provide water for themselves and their remaining livestock.

The Mongolian Red Cross, with funding from the USAID Office of Humanitarian Assistance, is providing financial support to herders affected by dzud, including the Khurelbaatar family.

The Mongolian Red Cross team also provided the Khurelbaatar family with a tarpaulin to serve as a roof for the animals.

Raising funds from international aid agencies’ budgets, which have been stretched by the crises in Gaza and Ukraine, has been difficult. The IFRC aimed to raise $6 million to support people affected by the dzud in Mongolia, but has not reached even 20 percent of its goal.

The World Health Organization has been active in the country, delivering four tonnes of medicines and medical supplies to 21 affected provinces; further supplies are currently being procured.

With the end of winter, the crisis is far from over: the higher temperatures can trigger forest fires or dust storms, while meltwater from snow can lead to flash floods.

Pregnant animals are at risk of losing their offspring because they have been weakened over the winter, said Matilda Dimovska, the United Nations Development Programme’s permanent representative in Mongolia.

“It’s really devastating to see (the baby animals) crying for food,” she said.