Tibetan antelope

The Tibetan antelope, or chiru, is a migratory antelope native to the high-altitude grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. Its fine underfur, known as shahtoosh, has driven intense poaching.

Tibetan Plateau: A vast, high-elevation region of Central Asia spanning much of Tibet and neighboring areas. Its grasslands and severe climate form the antelope’s native range.
Tibetan antelope migration: Seasonal movement by Tibetan antelopes between winter ranges and traditional calving grounds. Females travel to secluded calving areas before returning with their young.
Shahtoosh trade: The commercial trade in shawls made from the fine underfur of Tibetan antelopes. Demand for shahtoosh fueled the poaching that sharply reduced populations.
IUCN Red List: A global assessment system that classifies species by their risk of extinction. Its assessment records the antelope’s conservation status and population trajectory.
Tibetan Plateau alpine steppe: A high-elevation grassland biome of the Tibetan Plateau, dominated by cold-tolerant grasses and herbs. This steppe supplies the antelope’s principal grazing habitat.
Ungulate calving ground: A site where hoofed mammals gather or give birth during a seasonal reproductive period. Remote calving grounds concentrate vulnerable females and newborns during migration.
Wildlife trafficking: The illegal capture, transport, or sale of wild animals and their parts. The antelope became a target of organized trade in protected wildlife products.
Endangered Species Act of 1973: A United States law providing for the conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats. It illustrates national protections distinct from international controls on shahtoosh trade.
Altitude adaptation: Physiological or anatomical traits that help organisms function in environments with low oxygen pressure. The antelope lives at elevations where oxygen is scarce.
Herbivory: An ecological interaction in which an animal feeds on plants or algae. Grazing is the antelope’s basic means of obtaining food from steppe vegetation.

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