Mongolia

Communities Suffer from Prolonged Harsh Winter

Andrew Cullen Mar 9, 2010
The dzud has killed more than 2.7 million animals, nearly a tenth of the national total. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) The dzud has killed more than 2.7 million animals, nearly a tenth of the national total. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Four-month-old Bulgan-Erdene gets a check up from Dr. Battulag. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Four-month-old Bulgan-Erdene gets a check up from Dr. Battulag. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Local officials and UNICEF workers visit a student dormitory in Uyench soum. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Local officials and UNICEF workers visit a student dormitory in Uyench soum. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Tenth grade students help unload a truck of UNICEF aid at the student dormitory in Uyench soum. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Tenth grade students help unload a truck of UNICEF aid at the student dormitory in Uyench soum. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Children line up to receive books and other aid items from UNICEF at the student dormitory. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Children line up to receive books and other aid items from UNICEF at the student dormitory. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Men struggle through thigh-deep snow to reach a vehicle passing through the Bayangol sub-district. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Men struggle through thigh-deep snow to reach a vehicle passing through the Bayangol sub-district. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Cows in Bulgan soum's Shuudai area eat tree bark and branches to survive during Mongolia's dzud. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Cows in Bulgan soum's Shuudai area eat tree bark and branches to survive during Mongolia's dzud. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
UNICEF worker Tsendsuren (left) instructs employees at a school in Bulgan Soum how to distribute aid. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) UNICEF worker Tsendsuren (left) instructs employees at a school in Bulgan Soum how to distribute aid. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Ganbold protects his ears from the cold as he releases his family's goats and sheep for the day. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Ganbold protects his ears from the cold as he releases his family's goats and sheep for the day. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
With nothing else available, horses eat tree bark to survive during the harshest dzud in 30 years. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) With nothing else available, horses eat tree bark to survive during the harshest dzud in 30 years. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Orlom feeds a newborn goat kid black tea with sugar to supplement its mother's meager milk supply. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Orlom feeds a newborn goat kid black tea with sugar to supplement its mother's meager milk supply. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Men help push a Russian made jeep out of deep snow. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Men help push a Russian made jeep out of deep snow. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
A village doctor makes a house call in the Bayangol sub-district. These gers are deep in the countryside. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) A village doctor makes a house call in the Bayangol sub-district. These gers are deep in the countryside. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Balkhan has lost all but a dozen or so of his 80-animal herd this winter. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Balkhan has lost all but a dozen or so of his 80-animal herd this winter. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
Their herd decimated by the dzud, Balkhan's family often eats nothing but bread and tea for dinner. (Photo: Andrew Cullen) Their herd decimated by the dzud, Balkhan's family often eats nothing but bread and tea for dinner. (Photo: Andrew Cullen)
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The dzud in Mongolia has killed more than 2.7 million animals, nearly a tenth of the national total, since the end of 2009. Families with fewer than 300 animals are particularly at risk - the relatively small sizes of their herds make each animal loss more devastating, and these herders often have no other useful skills.

Andrew Cullen is a freelance journalist based in Hovd, Mongolia.

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