Do Tibetan antelope migrate?
The Tibetan antelope is an iconic species to the area. The antelope migrate from their winter sites in the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve to their shared calving, or birthing, site in the Hoh-Xil Nature Reserve every year.
Why do chiru migrate?
There are no known predators of Chiru, although Schaller (1996) hypothesized that one reason females migrate north to calving grounds may be to avoid wolves during pregnancy and birth.
Where do Tibetan antelopes live?
the Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan antelope, or chiru, live in one of the most inhospitable places on earth – the high mountain steppes and semi-desert of the Tibetan Plateau. Because of their frigid alpine environment, the chiru produce the finest and most expensive wool in the world, shahtoosh.
Why is the Tibetan antelope hunted?
In 1980s and 1990s, they had become endangered due to massive illegal poaching. They are hunted for their extremely soft, light and warm underfur which is usually obtained after death. This underfur, known as shahtoosh (a Persian word meaning “king of fine wools”), is used to weave luxury shawls.
What is shahtoosh where do we get it from?
Shahtoosh comes from the short, warm fleece of the rare Tibetan antelope, a species found almost exclusively in the Changtang area of Tibet, on the Tibetan Plateau. It takes four animals to provide enough wool for just one shahtoosh shawl or scarf.
What is Chiru animal?
chiru, (Panthalops hodgsoni), also called Tibetan antelope, a small, gregarious, graceful antelope-like mammal of the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla) that lives on the high alpine steppes of the Tibetan Plateau.
Can you hunt Tibetan antelope?
On the western Tibetan Plateau the endangered Tibetan antelope, Pantholops hodgsonii , has traditionally been hunted for subsistence. Such new developments are likely to result soon in a relegation of the nomadic pastoralists’ old hunting practices to a tradition of the past.
Is Tibetan antelope found in India?
In India, Tibetan antelopes are found in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) and the Chang Chenmo Valley (CCV) in north–east Ladakh (Fig. 1) [13, 14]. The average altitude of these areas is 4725–5500 m, and Tibetan antelopes are found between the altitudes of 4709–4964 m (mean 4797 ± 27.9 m).
Is Oryx found in India?
Four-horned antelope It is the only species currently classified in the genus Tetracerus. Their range extends south of the Gangetic plains down to the state of Tamil Nadu, and east as far as Odisha. They also occur in the Gir Forest National Park of western India.
Is Chiru a goat or sheep?
Chiru goat, which is also known as the Tibetan antelope, has long been hunted for its underfur (Shahtoosh), which is renowned for its quality and has traditionally been transported to Srinagar, where it is woven into an extremely fine fabric used to make shawls.
Why chiru are killed?
Popular Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja passed away at the age of 39 on Sunday afternoon (June 07). According to reports, Chiranjeevi, who suffered from breathing troubles was admitted to a hospital where he breathed his last.
Why is shahtoosh wool a banned item?
Shahtoosh refers to the fine wool made from the undercoat of the Tibetan antelope. Also known as Chiru goat, the Tibetan antelope is considered an endangered species under CITES. Therefore, Shahtoosh is banned in most of the countries in the world.