ULAN BATOR, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Harsh weather conditions caused the death of at least 7,949,400 livestock across Mongolia in the first five months of this year, according to data released by the country's National Statistics Office on Monday.
The livestock mortality rate increased by 2.2 times compared to the same period last year, said the statistical agency.
Extreme wintry weather, known as dzud, along with heavy snow and dust storms, are the main causes of the animal deaths, it said.
"Dzud" is a Mongolian term to describe a severely cold winter when a large number of livestock die because the ground is frozen or covered in snow.
Last winter, Mongolia experienced record snowfall, the largest since 1975, with around 90 percent of its territory covered in snow up to 100 centimeters thick.
Mongolia, one of the last nomadic countries in the world, has a harsh continental climate with frequent strong winds, snow and dust storms.
The promotion of livestock husbandry is seen as the most viable way to diversify the landlocked country's mining-dependent economy.
At the end of 2023, the number of livestock in Mongolia stood at 64.7 million, according to the statistical agency. ■
