The timing and amount of rainfall are crucial determinants of the adequacy of grazing and the prospects of relative prosperity in Somalia . The climate has become drier in the last century. The increase in the number of people and animals has put a growing burden on water and vegetation in the most areas of the country. There are many other factors that also make the climate situation in Somalia to get drier and harder every year. The lack of a strong central authority, deforestation and war activities are among the factors that negatively contribute the dry and the life situation in Somalia. A study by Dr Mohamed Elmi Soyan, a veterinarian doctor and an environmentalist and his local team, discovered that 20-25 heavy-duty trucks loaded with charcoal come into Mogadishu everyday for export.
These entire factors and many others made catastrophic effects in the life of the large nomadic population of Somalia and their livestock's. Hundreds of thousands of livestock, wildlife and people dies due to starvation and dehydration ever year.
The photo's presented here is taken in the Cabudwaq district in the Galguduud region of Somalia and shows some Somali sheep's wools is eaten by the hungry goats that share the same shelter during the night with the sheeps. This has been confirmed by the local people and the nomads.
"This is a definitely new habit we never seen or heard that it took place in this country or anywhere else in the world"says Barre Ali Jama, a member of the local elders.
The photo shows the skin of the Somali sheep's that their protecting wools have been eaten by the gouts.
Another group of Somali sheep's protecting wools is eaten by the gouts.
This shows a closer look of the Somali sheep's skin which the wool has been eaten by the starving gouts.
This photograph shows that the sheep's wool is now growing back.
The sheep's in the search of anything eatable around the doorsteps.
Gout together with the sheep's that lost their wools.
The situation is now much better than when these photos were taken a week ago and there have been some rainfalls in most areas of the country.
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Bye: Mohamud A Jama
17-05-2008.