The Hindu : National : Captive breeding planned for saving Tibetan antelope

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Sunday, Mar 27, 2005

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Captive breeding planned for saving Tibetan antelope

By Luv Puri

JAMMU, MARCH 26. In an attempt to save Tibetan antelopes in the cold desert of Ladakh, the Jammu and Kashmir Government is planning captive breeding of the endangered species. The population of the Tibetan antelopes, which seasonally migrate to the extreme north-eastern part of Ladakh by crossing the Sino-Indian border, has been dwindling over the years due to poaching and other factors.

Stern action

"We would deal sternly with anyone who tries to hunt the Tibetan antelope this summer and our department with all its men and resources is taking all precautions," the State Forest Minister, Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Sofi, told The Hindu today.

Every summer, these deer, called Chiru, could be seen inhabiting the Chang Chenmo valley and the Lingti Tsiang plains in the Aksai Chin region during the first week of June to early August. It is estimated that about 1,00,000 Chirus inhabit the three potential habitats — Tibet, Xinjiang and Quinghai of People's Republic of China.

Out of this, about 200 animals after crossing the Sino-Indian border, migrate to the north-east of Ladakh. Last year itself, the Jammu and Kashmir Government, working with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, planned a project to breed them in captivity and releasing them into the wild.

Conducive environment

Mr. Sofi said: "We could not implement the plan due to logistic problems but this year the captive breeding of the antelopes is the top priority of the department. The Wildlife Protection Department is looking into the possibility of increasing the population of these animals. We would provide them a conducive environment."

Shatoosh trade

Wildlife lovers have a number of times asked the State Government to take steps for the protection of the antelopes. The animal is protected by dense hair, which used to be a source of livelihood for thousands of families in the State. Shatoosh, a silky wool produced from its fur, fetches a fancy price and is used for making luxurious shawls. The shawls find a place in history as they were once presented by Emperor Napoleon to Empress Josephine. This is how it became a household name in the European markets.

Till the early 1990s, shatoosh industry in the State was thriving on the raw material and it was estimated that the trade was worth billions of rupees. But now the issue of extracting wool from the antelope has been a bone of contention between the State Government and wildlife conservationists. And recently wildlife lovers have taken strong objection to the shatoosh trade. They allege that most of the time the Tibetan antelope is killed to extract wool from its body. This was the reason for an amendment in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, whereby shatoosh trade was banned in the country, except in Jammu and Kashmir, which has its own Constitution. A shatoosh shawl sells for more than Rs. one lakh in the Indian market. It was only in the year 2002, when the amendment was made in the State's own legal provisions — the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act, 1978 — the doors were closed for shatoosh artisans and traders.

No fur extraction

While the State Government defended the shatoosh traders arguing that the extraction of fur was done without killing the animal, it said that it would obey the decision of the court, where the matter is pending, and said no trade in shatoosh would be allowed. The present policy to breed the antelope in captivity is only with the purpose of increasing their population and there would not be any extraction of fur.

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