Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2011, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (3): 143-148.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2011.03.004

• Review Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Resources Regarding Populations of Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni) and the Status of Its Protection

WU Xiao-min, ZHANG Hong-feng   

  1. ①Professor, ② Assistant Researcher, Northwest Institute of Endangered Zoological Species, Xi’an 710032,China
  • Received:2011-03-09 Revised:2011-04-09 Online:2011-06-20 Published:2011-06-25

Abstract: Tibetan antelope is listed as the first grade wildlife of China, and included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I. It is mainly located in alpine desert meadow steppe and upland grassland from 3 700 to 5 500 metres, Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Sichuan Provinces of China. During the long process of evolution,Tibetan antelope was adapt to unique and formidable natural conditions from the aspects of the external form, internal organ structure, ecological habits and behavior. It was recognized for the department of typical representative Qinghai-Tibet plateau animal area and important indicating species in natural ecological system, which had inestimable value in scientific research, ecological balance and humanities and aesthetics. Due to luxury of shawl (shahtoosh) was considered symbol of wealth and status which was born in Yu Kashmir favored by the nobility and the rich, a large number of Tibetan Antelope was killed by poaching from the late 1980s to the 1990s. But a series of measures was put into effect such as strengthening the construction of protected areas and habitats by State Administration of Forestry and Environmental Protection Department, and thus its population and distribution areas are gradually restored. At the present time, Tibetan antelope is still faced with tremendous pressure in living environment, local social economy development and illegal poaching, and the ability of species as a whole is still very weak anti-stress.