The home of Tibetan antelopes

The Tibetan antelope is native to China and India. Currently, the Tibetan antelope is mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Qinghai and Tibet in China, with the main area being Qiangtang, which extends to the north of Lhasa in the south, Kunlun Mountains in the north, northern Qamdo in Tibet and southwestern Qinghai in the east, and the Sino-Indian border in the west. There are also scattered Tibetan antelope individuals distributed in the Ladakh region of India. Among them, Tibet is an important distribution area for Tibetan antelopes. The Qiangtang Plateau covers an area of ​​more than 600,000 square kilometers, accounting for more than 80% of the Tibetan antelope distribution area in the world. According to the current habitats and migration routes, the geographical populations of Tibetan antelopes can be divided into four types: Hoh Xil in Qinghai, Qiangtang in Tibet, Sanjiangyuan in Qinghai, and Altun Mountain in Xinjiang.

Tibetan antelopes mainly live in high-altitude cold desert areas on the plateau. The vegetation communities are mainly grassland vegetation, desert vegetation, alpine vegetation, meadow vegetation and swamp vegetation. The average altitude of the region is above 5,000 meters. Low mountains and hills and wide valley basins alternate on the plateau surface, and lakes and rivers are widely scattered. The average temperature in the habitat is less than 0℃ in 3/4 months of the year. The annual precipitation is small and mostly solid precipitation. The ultraviolet radiation is strong, the air is thin, and the vegetation is sparse. Due to the harsh natural conditions of the plateau, Tibetan antelopes need to move over a large area to survive. Experts analyze that 80% of Tibetan antelopes carry out large-scale north-south migration every year. They live in the southern part of the Qiangtang grassland in winter, and head north in the spring and summer birthing season to breed in the southern foothills of the Kunlun Mountains. Tibetan antelopes are extremely sensitive to the surrounding climate and environment. Food, altitude, slope and water sources are the main factors affecting the Tibetan antelope's habitat selection. When choosing their wintering areas, Tibetan antelopes prefer grasslands or river and lake beaches that are close to water sources, have high vegetation coverage, and are warm and humid. The birthing areas chosen by female Tibetan antelopes have poorer food resources and climatic conditions, but are secluded and safe, avoiding interference from humans and other wild animals.

Figure 1 Tibetan antelope on the plateau (Source: Internet)

In addition to migration, the Tibetan antelope's morphology and body functions also reflect its adaptation mechanism to the plateau climate environment, mainly manifested in the Tibetan antelope's enlarged nasal cavity and wide oral cavity, higher physiological index values ​​compared to the same species in low-altitude areas, and long-lasting molting and thick and dense body hair. These physiological characteristics are conducive to the Tibetan antelope's adaptation to the hypoxic and cold environment of high altitude areas.

In this vast land where Tibetan antelopes live, there are also many kinds of precious animals, which together with Tibetan antelopes form a special animal tribe on the plateau. Living with Tibetan antelopes are ungulates such as wild yaks, Tibetan wild donkeys, argali, Tibetan antelopes, as well as carnivores such as wolves, Tibetan brown bears, snow leopards, and birds such as golden eagles, vultures, and bearded vultures. Most ungulates can live in harmony with Tibetan antelopes. Among them, wild yaks have strong limbs, long hair, are fierce and good at fighting, and are a unique cattle species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. They are also a national first-class protected animal; Tibetan wild donkeys are handsome and agile, often race with Tibetan antelopes, and mostly choose the same forage as Tibetan antelopes; argali with thick head horns is a typical mountain animal, and likes to live in high mountain bare rock belts and hills between mountains; Tibetan antelopes are light in size, gentle and lively in temperament, and often forage with Tibetan antelopes. Many carnivores are natural enemies of Tibetan antelopes. Wolves that accompany Tibetan antelopes on the plateau follow them and prey on them, which to a certain extent ensures the sustainable development of the Tibetan antelope population. Tibetan brown bears, which have a more diverse diet, will pick up some of the remains of Tibetan antelopes, preventing diseases caused by parasites from spreading rampantly on the plateau. Snow leopards are rare in number, move nimbly and hide, and often wait in the mountains to prey on sheep. Golden eagles, vultures, bearded vultures and other birds of prey will eat young Tibetan antelopes. Among them, bearded vultures are known as the "scavengers" of nature. They often prey on harmful animals and some old, weak, sick and disabled animals. When the young Tibetan antelopes grow up, they will no longer harm them.

Figure 2 Plateau creatures living together with Tibetan antelopes (Source: Internet)

As a basic species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Tibetan antelope supports a complete food chain system on the plateau. The development of this population tests my country's ability in ecological construction and environmental protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and has also witnessed the changes in the plateau's ecological environment in recent years. The white paper "The Peaceful Liberation and Prosperous Development of Tibet" issued by the State Council Information Office on May 21, 2021 pointed out that Tibet's ecological security barrier is becoming increasingly solid, and it has become one of the regions with the best ecological environment in the world. Since 2012, the government has issued a series of opinions and regulations on ecological construction in Tibet. As of 2020, Tibet has invested a total of 81.4 billion yuan in the field of ecological environment. Tibet has vigorously developed plateau eco-tourism by deeply implementing the concept of green development, and deployed various types of ecological projects such as "green siege" and "afforestation along the river" to strengthen ecological restoration. At present, the environmental quality and ecological protection of the Tibetan antelope's habitat have been comprehensively improved, and the Tibetan antelope population has achieved a stable and sustained recovery growth, with the number rising to about 300,000.

Figure 3 The home of the Tibetan antelope (Source: Internet)

References

Liu Wulin. Tibetan Antelope in Tibet[J]. Tibet Science and Technology, 2005(11):28-32.

Kang Aili, Mao Shiping. Tibetan antelope: witness of ecological changes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau[J]. Environmental Protection, 2011(17):23-25.

Liu Wulin, Xi Zhinong. Why can Tibetan antelopes adapt to the high-altitude and hypoxic environment?[J]. Forests and Humans, 2010(06):38-45.

Gama Duoji. The breeding grounds and migration routes of Tibetan antelopes have remained basically unchanged[J]. Ecological Economy, 2003(07):38-39.

Wei Ziqian, Xu Zengrang. Habitat distribution and influencing factors of Tibetan antelope in Qiangtang Plateau[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2020, 40(23): 8763-8772.

Ma Yan, Ge Rili. Research status of Tibetan antelope[J]. Chinese Journal of Plateau Medicine and Biology, 2017, 38(03): 206-212.

Experts from China Tibet Net: China's investment and efforts in protecting the environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are unprecedented https://www.163.com/dy/article/

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