Extreme cold and snowfall have caused severe economic losses for herders in Mongolia. According to the State Emergency Commission, more than 1.5 million herd animals have already died this winter in the Asian country. Mongolians call the snow and ice disasters that repeatedly hit the country during the winter months “Dzud”. The weather phenomenon means that livestock can no longer find food because the ground is frozen or the pastures are covered in masses of snow. The losses are often particularly high if it has been a dry summer, during which the animals were unable to build up sufficient fa…