Switzerland
Drought in Switzerland: Alpine pastures run dry, farmers fear emergency culls
Drought is depriving Switzerland's alpine pastures—seasonal mountain grazing lands—of drinking water for livestock, threatening the survival of mountain herds. According to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, each dairy cow drinks up to 100 liters of water per day, yet high-altitude water reserves are depleting despite adequate grass stocks. Alpine farmers fear emergency culls if the water shortage persists. Last week's thunderstorms provided only temporary relief: soils, streams, and groundwater aquifers remain in growing deficit. The drought is also raising the risk of forest fires across Switzerland.