Endangered gazelle species well-protected in NW China's Qinghai

“Dad, let’s go look for ‘Duojie’.”

“Alright, let’s go see it.”

Duojie is a one-year old Przewalski’s gazelle. After falling into a ditch shortly after birth, ‘Duojie’ was rescued by Sonam Tsering. Bringing it home to care for it, Sonam Tsering’s daughter quickly became attached to the animal, insisting on feeding it.

Photo shows a Przewalski's gazelle saved by Sonam Tsering's family. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qihong)

Duojie is just one of the Przewalski’s gazelles rescued by Sonam Tsering. Starting in 2015, he and his older brother began to voluntarily rescue the gazelles. So far, they have rescued 59 Przewalski's gazelles.

"It is worth doing. After all, we're saving lives," Sonam Tsering said without hesitation.

The Przewalski's gazelle, a critically endangered gazelle species, has been well protected in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

A Przewalski's gazelle saved by Sonam Tsering plays with him. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qihong)

Under first-class national protection in China, Przewalski's gazelles are dubbed the "pandas of the grasslands”. Originally found widely distributed across Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai, the species is now found only in areas around Qinghai Lake in Qinghai Province.

Qinghai has made significant progress in protecting the species. In 2007, China's first protection zone dedicated to the species was established in Gangcha county, Qinghai Province. Two years later, a special protection station was officially opened within the protection zone. In 2023, Gangcha county launched an AI-powered platform to enhance ecological monitoring of the gazelle species, leveraging technology, information, and intelligence to support a new framework for wildlife conservation.

Photo shows Sonam Tsering and his old brother (R) and a Przewalski's gazelle saved by them. (People's Daily Online/Yang Qihong)

With the deepening of Qinghai Lake ecological protection efforts, like wildlife rescue projects, community co-management, reducing fence heights, and establishing rescue points among other efforts, the Przewalski’s gazelle population has seen great growth. Since the start of conservation efforts, the population has grown from fewer than 300 to more than 3,400 animals today.

Photo shows Przewalski's gazelles in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Photo courtesy of the administration bureau of the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve)