ALMOST MILLION ANIMALS DIE

Ulaanbaatar. /MONTSAME/. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade G. Zandanshatar addressed Monday the diplomatic missions and international organizations operating in Mongolia in connection with country's winter condition.
"The Government of Mongolia and the people extend our deepest sympathies to the victims of the Haiti earthquake. We also express our deepest condolences to families of UN staffs, who lost their lives in Haiti earthquake while working for humanitarian deed, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" Mr Zandanshatar said beginning of his speech.
"Due to global climate change, natural disasters are occurring every corner of our globe. Mongolia is also experiencing in difficult situation. Mongolia saw a sharp and sudden drop of temperature combined with continuous heavy snowfall, and this situation has caused a loss of hundreds of thousands of livestock, leaving numerous herders without any source of livelihood. The International Community knows this disaster as "zud". Such a zud condition happened in Mongolia in 1999-2002 taking lives of tens of people and killing 11 million livestock to freeze.
The International Community stretched helping hand to Mongolia and rendered assistance in eliminating damages caused due to zud disaster. According to experts, frequency of zud disaster occurs once in ten year. Therefore, the Mongolian government is taking all necessary actions to overcome the winter difficulties. State Emergency Commission is working hard with urging an appeal addressing all population, entities, companies and public bodies to render material and mental assistances and help to herders. Within this campaign, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in arranging this event to give detailed information on wintering situation.
...As of today, about 776.700 livestock have perished due to extreme winter condition. A total of 198 counties of 19 province have been under difficult wintering condition, of them 94 counties of 8 provinces are experiencing being extreme and extraordinary situation. According to the weather forecast, heavy and continuous snowfall and extreme cold are expected in all territory of Mongolia in January and February. Priority of government is preventing from human losses. Herders are dying to save their animals that are their main source of livelihood. Therefore, government is taking urgent actions to deliver hays and fodders from the State Reserve to save lives of herders and also livestock. However, the scope of zud disaster and its bad weather duration is draining all our capacity, strength and fund source. About 70 percent of Mongolia's territory suffered from drought last year. Due to this drought disaster, pasturing reserve has reduced. Now Mongolia is facing a danger of losing thousands of animals due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather. We estimate that main difficult situation is expected to have in April and May. Losing their all livestock-main source of livelihood- is a catastrophe for herder household. We may need donors' help and assistance in overcoming this winter difficulties. If we save more animals as possible we can, we could prevent from negative result that facing herders' lives. We urge You to cooperate with us in reducing the expected damages and losses due to zud disaster for helping herder community."
S. Batbayar