As the winter was just beginning almost half of 8,000 nomad families in Middle Gobi moved with their 1.3 million cattle to nearby provinces escaping from the barren steppes stripped off all grass by a draught last summer. Only those families who had no money or enough people to tend cattle on wide open stretches stayed behind.

"Kilometer after kilometer we could see only black and barren earth. All the grass was gone. In the middle of summer herders had no milk or diary products. When we visited some families, they could offer only black tea," says P.Baigalmaa, a student of arts who traveled across Middle Gobi last summer.

"People do not speak, and their faces become blackened with despair. I never thought that "black dzud" or draught can be so true," says she.

Dead sheep lying around a gher. Photo by Damien Wohlfahrt, Technical Advisor, UNICEF

Since November, when barren pastures become covered with a thick snow cover, cattle begun to die in thousands. In Middle Gobi area alone more than 400,000 animals died, and 80 percent of cows are gone. Each day brings more alarming reports.

The latest figures, released recently by the State Emergency commission report more than one million livestock lost, and the remaining cattle faces a long and hungry spring until first grass will appear in June.

Herders, already exhausted by long fight against snowstorms and running short of supplies, can hardly maintain their cattle. They do not have food, worm clothes and fuel (usually dung is being used for making fire). Not only cattle but herders themselves need urgent help.

"My heart was bleeding when I saw them. Their faces are blackened from hardships and loss of their cattle. Men are thin from eating irregularly and badly. Clothes are worn out, and boots falling apart after months of walking on icy cover.

It was cold in yurt as there was no wood or dung to make fire and warm up. Nothing to eat except a piece of dried meat softened a little bit by keeping it in water. No flour, tobacco, matches, candles... Many are sick. It was pain to see these people," describes Dr. Ts. Surragchaa, a farming expert.

Now a nation-wide movement to help herders is underway. People donate money, warm clothes, and foodstuff. Volunteers go to stricken areas to help herders on the spot.

But the assistance is not sufficient and comes too late. The State Emergency Commission reports that in some areas herders face famine. Diseases spread as well taking down people exhausted by long, harsh fight to save their cattle.

Snow Trap : part 1 | part 2
Ancient Art of Weather Forecasting | Winter in Mongolia

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