Heatwave turns Kazakhstan steppe into mass grave for horses

Dead horses lie scattered across the dry steppe of Kazakhstan’s Mangistau peninsula, where severe drought has left animals without food or water.

Unusually high temperatures have forced the nation to ban exports of animal feed and seek extra water from neighboring countries to keep cattle alive.

In Mangistau, horses have nothing to graze on and prices of hay and barley have skyrocketed, meaning many are dying of malnutrition, vulnerable to parasites and illness.

The province as a whole has reported more than 1,000 deaths of horse, cattle and sheep due to the extreme heat.