Xinjiang intensifies protection of Tibetan antelopes
( 2003-12-12 11:29) (China Daily)
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, one of the habitats for
Tibetan antelopes, has intensified efforts to protect the rare animals.
The region has set up a 20-member team to patrol in the Kunlun
Mountains Nature Reserve, in the southern part of Xinjiang, to prevent the
antelopes from being poached.
Consisting of police officers from the forestry and wild animal protection
departments and forest rangers, the team will mainly patrol the major
roaming and breeding areas of the antelopes from May to August each year.
The program is expected to increase the number of antelopes in the
protection zone by 20,000 within the next five years, said Yu Sufu,
director with the regional office for wild animal protection.
Located in the Qiemo County, the 30,000-square km Kunlun Mountains
Nature Reserve is now home to about 20,000 Tibetan antelopes, accounting
for 20 percent of the total number in Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous
Region.
Each year, a large number of Tibetan antelopes move from the Altun
Mountains to this protection zone to give birth. Hunting of antelopes has
been reported along migration routes since the 1990s.
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