Tibet Wild Life

To us humans most places on the ''Roof of the World'' are inhospitable but to wildlife it is a"paradise''.

Region, Tibet has more than 2,300 species of insects; 64 species of fish; 45 species of amphibians; 55 species of reptiles; 488 species of birds; and 142 species of beasts. A total of 125 species of precious and rare animals receive key protection from the State, accounting for more than one third of the species under protection. The 34 most precious species of them have a total population of 900,000. The wild yaks, native to Tibetan Plateau, now number about 10,000; wild asses about 50,000 to 60,000; Tibetan antelopes 40,000 to 60,000; gazelles 160,000 to 20,000; takins 2,000 to 3,000; Yunnan snubnosed monkeys 570 to 650; Bengali tigers 5 to 10. Besides, there are also a considerable number of bear, leopard, wild deer, wild sheep, rare birds, etc.

Wild animals are friends of us humans; to protect them is to protect ourselves. Tibetans, especially those living on grasslands and in forests, traditionally engaged in hunting. Now they are discarding the old idea that ''wild animals are ownerless, so who hunts them down may have them'' and work for their protection. The reappearance of Bengali tigers in southeast Tibet is a good example. In the recesses of the wooded mountains of Rdzayal and Meitog areas in south Tibet, people used to regard tiger hunting as a heroic act; consequently tigers disappeared long ago. However, in recent years there have been reports of tigers being spotted.In 1993, a tiger attacked a score of domestic animals in a few days. However, the local people only fired shots to scare it away but did not try to kill it.There are signs that about 10 Bengali tigers now are roving around this area.

Experts say that preciselt because the existence and breeding of wild animals are well protected their numbers have increased by about 30 per cent in Tibet in the last six years.

It has to be admitted that though cases are fewer now, poaching still exists because of the exorbitant profits it promises. This has led to the decrease of the economically valuable animals,such as bear and musk deer. On this account, severe measures are still necessary. If the masses do some hunting and kill some protected wild animals because of their hunting tradition or to ensure safety of their domestic animals, there should be more education work among them. And with improved economic life, things will change. Moreover, natural changes in ecology and greater human activities also have led to diminished habitats of certain wild animals. This poses a big question for Tibetan wild animal protection in the future