On April 30, the Sanjiangyuan National Park Authority detected a batch of Tibetan antelopes waiting to be delivered and began to cross the Qinghai-Tibet Highway to Zhounai Lake in the core area of Hoh Xil to give birth. This means that this year, the breeding and migration season for Tibetan antelopes has begun!

According to the staff of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration, from April 30th, almost every day, Tibetan antelopes can be seen crossing the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. This year's migration time is a week ahead of previous years.

These Tibetan antelopes from the three river sources, Qiangtang in Tibet, and Altun Mountains in Xinjiang are all female, mostly female antelopes to be delivered, and a few are sub-adult. Every year in late spring and early summer, these female Tibetan antelopes are separated from male Tibetan antelopes, particularly "rushed to" the area around Zhuonai Lake to give birth, and Zhuonai Lake is therefore called "the big delivery room of Tibetan antelopes". Their farthest migration distance has even reached more than 1,600 kilometers. In September 2011, after Zhuonai Lake's warming caused a breakout, some of the lake's falling areas have been desertified for years, which has aroused widespread social concern.

Because of concerns about the impact on the Tibetan antelopes giving birth there, as well as the potential safety hazards of its endogenous floods, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has conducted twice scientific expeditions to Zhuonai Lake with the relevant scientific research units.

The Tibetan antelope, which is a national first-level protected animal, is a unique rare species mainly distributed in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China. Their annual large-scale migration phenomenon is quite noticeable. There is no scientific and authoritative explanation as to why they gather every year to go to Zhuonai Lake to give birth.

However, with the establishment of related nature reserves and the increased efforts to combat illegal poaching, there has also been concern from the public and social forces. In recent years, compared to the late 1990s, the population of Tibetan antelopes has increased considerably. Wish these travel-stained Tibetan antelopes can successfully pass this year's migration season before July-August!

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/12488.html

By / Maggie