Every year from May to July, tens of thousands of Tibetan antelopes from regions in Qinghai, Tibet autonomous region, and Xinjiang autonomous region make their way to Hoh Xil nature reserve in Qinghai to give birth. The mothers and newborn Tibetan antelopes make the return trip around August.
This journey is rather tough. More than 90 percent of the female animals give birth every year, but only about 30 percent of the newborns survive. Many of them die on the return journey, unable to withstand the predators (捕食性动物) and disease. The government has adopted some high-tech methods to assist in the safe return of newborn antelopes and protect the species.
In 2013, with the help of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, researchers discovered and confirmed the largest Tibetan antelope "birth room" on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and they mapped the migration routes of Tibetan antelopes. Since late 2018, a solar-powered drone has been used to monitor the migration herds." The solar-powered drone has a long flying time with high-resolution cameras, which gives us a new understanding of many specific routes during the migration of Tibetan antelopes," said Wu Xiaomin, an expert from the Shanxi Institute of Zoology." For example, the nomads (牧民) put fences on the grassland to protect the grass, but sometimes these hinder the normal activity of the Tibetan antelopes."
To clear the way for the Tibetan antelopes, the government of the Tibet has taken action in recent years to give more protected space to wildlife. They relocate nomads from places at altitudes above 4,800 meters to other places in the region.
Known as" plateau elves"(精灵）, Tibetan antelopes have adapted to the unique and severe natural conditions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. According to Wu, the Tibetan antelope is recognized as an important indicator species of the natural ecosystem.
The population of Tibetan antelopes has grown." With a recorded low population of fewer than 20,000 in Qinghai, the number has now reached over 70,000,"said former Qinghai governor Xin Changxing at an event to mark World Environment Day.
