New Delhi: A team of experts from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) are embarking on an expedition to the Chinese border in Ladakh to study the Indian distribution of the Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii).

The expedition, organized for the second consecutive year, forms part of a three-year programme initiated last year by the Wildlife Department of J & K in collaboration with the Indian Army, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and other NGOs.

For the next 60 days, the team will trek the high steppes of the Karakoram, which is home to a variety of rare mammals including wild yak, Tibetan wolf, wooly hare, and the kiang.

Jigmet Takpa, Regional Wildlife Warden of Ladakh said, “Six officers from the forest department, two from the Indian Army and representatives from NGOs will participate in the survey. This year, the team will try to verify the chiru figures counted last year.”

Though, Chiru range falls mainly under Tibet, especially the Chang Tang National Nature Reserve, a small population is also found in the eastern steppes of Ladakh.

“Last year about 250 to 300 chirus were counted in the Daulat Beg Oldi and the Chen Cheng Mo regions, however, we need to establish if these herds migrated from Tibet.” said Rahul Kaul, Director Conservation of WTI.

“The survey will also determine the Chiru habitats and other aspects of the ecology, which will help to formulate future conservation actions,” he said.

Expanding human population, limited grazing lands, and rampant poaching in Tibet have pushed the antelopes further north of the Karakoram.

In the last few decades, poachers exterminated their population from the nearest human settlements as a result of the lucrative shahtoosh shawl (Shawls made from their under wool) trade.

“On the Indian side of their habitats, there are no cases of poaching. It is not easy to spot chiru on a difficult terrain, and so there have been no attempts.” said Takpa.

Today, Chirus are located in some of the remotest parts of Asia, where only a few humans have ever set their foot.