The Kalamaili Mountain Nature Reserve, the habitat of the 15, 000 to 18,000 wild ahus in the northern part of the autonomous region, is covered by thick snow, resulting in a miserable world of starvation and freezing for the herbivores.

The lowest temperature in the days in the disaster-torn areas was a reported 40 degrees centigrade below zero, and the depth of the snow there has reached 40 centimeters covering most grass or plants, which are major source of food for the wild mammals.

According to an official with the reserve, the 17,000-square km reserve is also home to 200 argalis and 5,000 to 7,000 Mongolian wild donkeys.

The ahus have moved 100 km south from their original habitat to look for food, but many of them have been frost-bitten and their hoofs hurt after the long journey on the icy snow.

Although reserve workers placed a lot of food over the disaster-hit areas for the starving ahus, it is still an urgent situation and there is still not enough food for them to make it through the extremely snowy and cold winter.

“Much more food is needed to place in the areas,” the official urged. If no effective protection and rescue measures are taken, the death rate of ahus will reach 30 percent, he added.

(Xinhua 02/07/2001)