The Tibetan Antelope primarily inhabits the Tibetan Plateau although about migrate to Ladakh during the summer months. The great herds of 15, antelope or more that Western explorers reported a century ago are now gone, but herds of 1, or more can still be seen. The largest Tibetan antelope populations survive in the Chang Tang region of northwestern Tibet, in southern Xinjiang, and in Amdo in northeastern Tibet.
There are a number of both migratory and resident populations of antelope in these regions. Male Tibetan antelope have several movement patterns. In late April or May, most 10 to 11 month-old males separate from their mothers to join their juvenile male peers or adult males. A few of the male antelope remain resident on their winter grounds throughout the summer, but most travel at least a short distance, usually north, from their winter grounds to a summer range.
Some male Tibetan antelope travel far in the summer. Males return to their traditional fall and winter grounds in autumn, for the rut. Female Tibetan antelope probably first conceive at the age of 1. The gestation period of the Tibetan Antelope is seven to eight months. Antelope mothers give birth between the second half of June and early July, each mother typically to just one offspring.
The life span of the Tibetan Antelope in the wild is eight years or more. A survey team, sent to Ladakh in by mef , reported that it "did not find any evidence of the existence of a breeding farm of the Tibetan antelope in Ladakh.
There are strong opinions about this survey in Ladakh. When approached for comment, S C Sharma, additional inspector general with mef , said the team was sent to find out the state of the chiru and they did "what they were supposed to do. An official of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, who was stationed in the area where the survey was carried out, says conducting research by helicopter was a blunder: "The antelopes are shy animals. They ran away at the sound of the chopper.
Tsering Angchuk is the range officer at the wildlife department in Leh and perhaps the only one to have conducted a thorough survey on the animal and its habitat for captive breeding.
During his days as the range officer of Nubra district, he and six departmental staff went to the Daulat Baig Oldi, the chiru's habitat in eastern Ladakh in to survey the habitat. Their approach was more down to earth: they travelled on foot and ponies for eight to nine days. Angchuk relates his experience: "This area lies at the silk route and it is possible that the shed wool were collected from the bushes many years ago.
No doubt, he stated that it would require a lot of investment: But how are we to know about their survival and adaptability in Ladakh unless we try it out practically. Khurshid Hussain Malik, retired director of the department of animal husbandry, discusses the possibility of breeding the antelope: "A chiru can give around grammes of wool a year.
They should be reared and genetically upgraded to give up to grammes without disturbing the quality. Not so with ranching or wild harvest. If the wild population or habitat disappears, so do the economic benefits. He mentions that this makes up for the limited number of losses each year.
In consequence, the population of this species has suffered a severe decline from nearly a million estimated at the turn of the 20th century to less than 75, in the s. Other major threats include competition with livestock, expansion of agriculture, road building, illegal hunting and fencing of pastures on the Tibetan plateau.
Due to their grazing habits, Tibetan antelopes hugely impact their ecosystem. They are also an important food source for local predators such as wolves, lynx, and snow leopards. Tibetan Antelope Chiru. Pantholops hodgsonii. Population size. Life Span. Distribution Tibetan antelopes are found almost entirely in China, where they inhabit Tibet, southern Xinjiang, and western Qinghai; a few are also found across the border in Ladakh, India. Geography Continents. Central Asia, East Asia. China, India, Nepal.
Biome Temperate grasslands. Montane grasslands and shrublands. Climate zones Temperate. Habits and Lifestyle Tibetan antelopes are gregarious, sometimes congregating in herds that may include hundreds of individuals when moving between summer and winter pastures; however, they are more usually found in much smaller groups, with no more than 20 animals. Group name. Terrestrial, Cursorial, Precocial, Grazing.
Seasonal behavior. Partially migrant. Diet and Nutrition Tibetan antelopes are herbivores. Diet Herbivore. Population Trend. Near Threatened NT.
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