NEWS
- 25 March | The Honest UPSC Talk Nobody Tells You Click Here to see Abhijit Asokan AIR 234 talk →
- 10 March | SFG Folks! This dude got Rank 7 in CSE 2025 with SFG! →
- 10 March | SFG Folks! She failed prelims 3 times. Then cleared the exam in one go! Watch Now! →
News: In a landmark ruling for wildlife law enforcement in India, a New Delhi court has convicted a Jaipur art gallery owner for attempting to illegally export Shahtoosh shawls made from the hair of the Tibetan Antelope.
About Tibetan Antelope
- The Tibetan antelope, also known as ‘chiru’, is a small, unique species related to goats and sheep.
- Scientific name: Their scientific name is Pantholops hodgsonii.
- Habitat: They live at high elevations of 3,250 to 5,500 m in alpine, desert steppe, and meadow areas.
- Distribution: They are endemic to the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau (QTP). They are distributed in China [Xinjiang, Xizang, Qinghai, Zhuolaihu Lake (Breeding habitat)] and India (Aksai Chin and Ladakh).
- In India, Tibetan antelopes are found in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) and the Chang Chenmo Valley (CCV) in north–east Ladakh.
- Characteristics:
- Size and weight: They are medium-sized antelope, with a shoulder height of about 83 cm in males, and 74 cm in females.
- Weight: Their weight is around 25–40 kg.
- They have slim bodies and long legs, enabling them to move quickly and maintain endurance across high-altitude grasslands.
- Horns: Only males have long, slightly backwards-curving horns.
- Climate adaptation: Their coat changes with the seasons –
- In summer, it is light sandy brown with a white underbelly for camouflage
- In winter, it becomes thicker to protect against cold temperatures and strong winds.
- Fur: Their fur is distinctive, consisting of long guard hairs and a silky undercoat of shorter fibres.
- Shahtoosh refers to this exceptionally fine undercoat obtained from the Tibetan antelope.
- They are migratory, travelling up to 400 km between summer and winter ranges.
- Birthing: Females gather in secluded birthing areas to safely give birth and protect their young from predators like wolves.
- Diet: They are herbivores. They feed mainly on alpine grasses, sedges, and other hardy plants.
- Threats
- Illegal demand for shahtoosh shawls
- Habitat loss/disruption from infrastructure development
- Climate change.
- Conservation:
- IUCN: Near Threatened
- CITES: Appendix I
- There is a ban on the sale and trade of shahtoosh shawls and scarves under CITES and other regulations.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
