Tibetan Antelope (Chiru)

## About

A male Tibetan antelope.

The Tibetan antelope ***(Pantholops hodgsonii)*** also commonly called the chiru, is a species of antelope endemic to the Tibetan autonomous region and east Asia. Tibetan antelopes have a cream or tan coat across their entire body that lightens around the underbelly and inner legs. The face contrasts from the body as it is grey or black in colour and these same shades can be seen also on the front of the legs in males. The species is sexually dimorphic with only the male antelope possessing horns. The horns taper to a sharp point and are mostly straight, only bending slightly forwards at the ends. They can grow to 54-60cm (21-24in) in length. The undercoat is silky, soft, dense and protected by guard hairs, as a means of surviving the below freezing temperatures of the Tibetan plateau. Because of this adaptation, the fur is prized for its softness and warmth across the world. Males can reach a shoulder height of up to 83cm (32.6in) whereas females are smaller at 74cm (29in). Males are also significantly heavier, weighing up to 39kg (86lbs), compared to the female average of 26kg (57lbs).

## Diet

Tibetan antelopes are obligate herbivores. They likely consume grasses however, it has been hypothesised that they may browse as well.

## Conservation Status

Due to the extreme softness of the Tibetan antelope's coat/wool, the species has been historically hunted in order to accommodate for the demand for the product, specifically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where the species endured harsh population decline due to these practices. The wool itself is known globally by the name shahtoosh, which is derived from the Farsi words شاه and پشم meaning king and wool respectively. Though protection of the antelopes and prosecution of shahtoosh export have become increasingly effective, demand for the product is still high, simply due to its immensely high natural quality. It takes around 3-5 Tibetan antelopes to create just one shawl of shahtoosh and the product is said to last under 5 years (due to its fragility), which more than proves the material's unsustainability. Though the Chinese government has banned the poaching of Tibetan antelopes and the export of shahtoosh, due to the increasing availability of snow-traversing vehicles such as snow-mobiles and the increase in firearm ownership among poachers, the killing of Tibetan antelopes has become near impossible to monitor, especially when coupled with their vast range. In 1979, the Tibetan antelope had officially been listed under Appendix I of CITES meaning that from that point onward, the harming, poaching, harming or killing of the Tibetan antelope had become an international crime. This has triggered many nations to come down on shahtoosh product, including the western world. After the Tibet Wildlife Act of 1995, India (a previous hotspot for shahtoosh export), stated that; products including as little as 1% of shahtoosh are considered illegal however, it only warrants a fine equivalent to $66 USD. This largely eliminated shahtoosh export nation-wide. Unfortunately, the constant protection of the species has also formed a sense of rarity and luxury around shahtoosh. This has led to a steep increase in price for shahtoosh product, with scarves regularly being sold for prices up to $20,000 USD in the USA. Outside of poaching-related threats, the Tibetan antelope is also threatened by increasing use of land by livestock and infrastructure projects. During the construction of the Beijing-Lhasa railway, concerns were addressed surrounding the obstruction of the Tibetan antelope's range. To elaborate, this project had the potential to immobilise the species' migration patterns. Luckily, these concerns were heard and engineers subverted expectations, by constructing underpasses, which allowed the antelopes to continue migrating to some extent. Natural factors have also endangered the Tibetan antelope in the past, such as the record-high snowstorm in Qinghai province during 1985, which led to a peak in antelope casualties. Heavy snow has always been a threat of the species as it inhibits grazing and limits antelope herds to restricted areas. Though the Tibetan antelope is commonly said to be an endangered species and has been classed as vulnerable by CITES, since 2016 the Tibetan antelope has been listed as a near-threatened species by the IUCN.

## Range and Population

Tibetan antelope inhabit areas of south and east Asia and particularly the Tibetan plateau. Despite their large range, the antelopes are only known to occur in three countries being; China (specifically the Tibetan autonomous region, Qinghai and Xinjiang), Nepal (possibly) and the disputed territory of Jammu-Kashmir between India and Pakistan. The species is most abundant in the northwest of the Tibetan autonomous region in Chang Tang, where it mostly inhabits Chang Tang Nature Reserve. Tibetan antelopes did once have a more vast range that encompassed Ladakh, India and much of Nepal however, due to hunting pressure they have likely become regionally extinct in the country. Throughout its range, the Tibetan antelope occurs in a large array of environments, including; alpine biomes, montane deserts, arid regions, grasslands, savannas and a variety of mountainous habitats (such as meadows and steppes). Blue Planet Biomes states that the Tibetan antelope is found at elevations of 3.35-5.49km (11,000-18,000ft) however, the IUCN lists no quantified species elevation estimates. During 1900, the Tibetan antelope population was said to have reached 1,000,000 mature individuals however, as a direct result of poaching, the species population fell to only 65,000-72,500 during the late 1990s and early 1980s. As of 2016, the Tibetan antelope's population has increased and was estimated at 100,000-150,000, a direct result of thorough international protection.

## Behaviour

As a migrant, the Tibetan antelope is known to travel across its range depending on the season. During winter (December-February), a Tibetan antelope herd will move to winter rutting grounds. At these grounds males will attempt to form a harem of 10-20 females, violently defending their harems from competing antelopes. Once a female approaches a male, he will begin the courting process by trotting around her in a circle whilst holding his head in the air. If unthreatened, the female will stay with the male, eventually leading to copulation. The gestation typically lasts 7-8 months, with a single calf being born during late June or early July. Casualties among calves is common, with up to half of calves dying in the first 2 months of their birth and 2/3 dying before reaching 2 years of age. Male calves will stay with their mother for up to a year, before becoming independent and joining other males in 'bachelor' groups. After dispersing, bachelor groups may become resident populations of the rutting grounds or they may travel further into the plateau, during summer. Female calves remain with their mother beyond the first year of their birth, joining them through the migration to calving grounds, further north. Males have no role in parenting. Due to seasonal movement patterns, Tibetan antelope herds can be comprised of as little as 5 individuals however, some of the largest herds can be comprised of 1,000 individuals. When resting, Tibetan antelopes will excavate small divots in the ground to lay in. These divots are typically 15-30cm (6-12in) deep and reach 1.14m (3.74ft) in diameter. The function of these structures are unknown however, it has been hypothesised that they protect the Tibetan antelopes from parasitic flies.

### Relationship with Humans

As discussed in detail previously, the Tibetan antelope is sometimes hunted for its wool, known as shahtoosh. Tibetan antelopes have also been known to encroach on livestock grazing grounds, feeding in these areas commonly.

## In Captivity

Due to the highly specialised and migratory lifestyle of the Tibetan antelope, no individuals have been housed in captivity, though there have been attempts in China.

## Sources

* IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15967/50192544
* Chiru | Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology - https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pantholops\_hodgsonii/
* Tibetan Antelope | WWF - https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/tibetan-antelope
* Tibetan Antelope | Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan\_antelope
* Inside the Illegal Trade of $20,000 Shawls Made From an Endangered Animal | VICE - https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3vvay/endangered-species-animal-most-expensive-wool-illegal-black-market-fashion
* Tibetan Antelope | Blue Planet Biomes - https://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tibetan\_antelope.php