Known by many as “the last pure land of mankind”, Hoh Xil was listed on the World Heritage List in 2017 and became China's largest natural world heritage site. The largest unmanned area on the third pole of the world is the gene pool of plateau wild animals. There are 210 species of plants, and 72 species are endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; 75 species of vertebrates, 12 of which are endemic species on the Tibetan Plateau. One of the most famous species in this biodiversity-rich environment is the Tibetan antelope. In 1997, China’s first national nature reserve to protect Tibetan antelope was established in Hoh Xil.
At the first Qinghai Provincial Plateau Wildlife Conservation Ecological Environmental Management Seminar held recently, Cai Ga, the former director of the Hoh Xil Reserve, shared the story on the protection of Tibetan antelope with the Chairman of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) and the head of CBCGDF Xie Boyang and other guests, and especially thanked to CBCGDF and CBCGDF’s newly established Green Ecology Special Fund for the concern and support of ecological environment protection in Qinghai Province.
Cai Ga first congratulated on CBCGDF’s Green Ecology Special Fund’s plaque unveiling ceremony in Qinghai Province. He mentioned that Qinghai needs such an institution to support such seminars and events. He introduced a bit of experiences about Tibetan antelopes applying for the Olympic mascot. “At the time, I asked for Chairman Hu Deping for some immature ideas. The family of the Chairman hosted me with great hospitality. They highly recognized that our work was very difficult and more importantly for the importance of our work. I told the Chairman of the situation about Hoh Xil and my doubts about the success of the Tibetan antelope’s application for the Olympic mascot. The Chairman pointed out that ‘to continue to work hard. The Olympics are international, and the concept of the Olympic Games is consistent with your ecological philosophy of protecting the Hoh Xil Tibetan antelope!’”
In the eyes of Cai Ga, the Tibetan antelope perfectly combines the Olympic spirit of “faster, higher and stronger” – they live in high-altitude areas that are inaccessible, with fast running speeds and tenacious vitality against harsh habitats. Cai Ga said that as with the Olympic Games, the protection of Tibetan antelope is also an international issue that should attract worldwide attention and support.
Since the 1980s, Tibetan antelopes have been poached and hunted. The root cause is the illegal trade and consumption of Tibetan antelope products. With the establishment of protected areas and the attention and help of the community, the population of Tibetan antelope has gradually recovered. Now looking back at the story of the Tibetan antelope applying to become the Olympic mascot, Cai Ga once again thanks the Chairman Hu Deping for his encouragement and guidance, which has given him the courage to persist. In the mascot of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, one of Fuwa was based on the Tibetan antelope, and the song was the tenacious vitality of this plateau life.
Cai Ga said that when he first came to work in Hoh Xil, many of the wild animals there were on the verge of extinction. The Tibetan antelope was the focus of poaching. Many heroes sacrificed their lives to fight poachers and protect Tibetan antelopes. “The Tibetan antelopes applied for the Olympic Games mascot successful, the wildlife protection of Hoh Xil has been developed, and Hoh Xil has become a natural heritage. These are inseparable from the management of Hoh Xil and the strength of the people and the Foundation. Thanks very much to all aspects concern about the caring and support of Hoh Xil and Tibetan antelope. I hope that such activities and cooperation will continue to develop in the future.”
(Photo credit: CBCGDF)
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/9321.html
By / Niu Jingmei