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Wild Wolves Benefit from Blizzard in Xinjiang
Wild wolves seem to be the only group benefiting from the blizzards in the northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the largest snow storms in the past five decades.
The extremely heavy snowfall in the autonomous region resulted in a great demand for fodder. Figures from the local Red Cross Society in February showed that over 120,000 heads of livestock died of exposure and starvation and over 17 million heads were endangered in the blizzard-hit areas.
While hungry sheep have become the dinner of the wild wolves there. By now, 1,500 sheep in the Altay prefecture have been either eaten or attacked and killed by the wolves.
Also, antelope under national protection in Kalamaili Mountain Nature Preserve has also become their prey. The animal, the "short- distance race champion" in the wildlife world, was not able to escape from the wolves this time due to starvation and 50 mm-deep snow covering the land.
To ensure the safety of the local citizens and livestock, the local government has organized teams to kill the wolves and to dispel those wandering in the pasturing areas.
The Xinjiang Red Cross Society disclosed that six prefectures and 29 counties were hit by the blizzard catastrophe since last October, 31 died and 33 were missing in the heavy snow.
Altogether 1.01 million local residents suffered as a result of the blizzard, and around 25,000 pupils were not able to go to school. Direct economic losses were estimated at 250 million yuan (about 30 million U.S. dollars) by then.
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