Chinese police have seized 171 skulls of Tibetan antelopes in a raid on an underground
processing plant in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Xinhua learned on Tuesday.
The forestry police also seized the skulls of 14 of wild yaks
and 40 white-lipped deer. All of these animals are protected as
first level endangered species in China.
The police also found in the plant an additional 100 skulls as
well as specimens of wild animals covered under second level
endangered species state protection.
The 53-year-old owner of the plant, identified only by his
surname Li, has been taken into custody.
Meanwhile, forestry police in northwest China's Qinghai Province said on Monday that they had
seized more than 100 pelts of rare wild animals, including 27 snow
leopards.
The Qinghai police were tipped off about an illegal deal
concerning snow leopards pelts in central Gansu Province while they
were investigating another case relating to the illegal
transportation of snow leopard items.
The police followed the new tip. They discovered that a resident
surnamed Ma located in Linxia, central Gansu, had purchased a large number of
protected animals furs.
Hunting wild animals under state protection is strictly
forbidden in China. Possession, transportation and sale of wild
animal products must have government approval.
Tibetan antelopes have been targets of rampant poaching. Their
valuable wool, known as shahtoosh, translates literally as "king of
wool". Since 1979 Tibetan antelopes have been recognized as an
endangered species and protected under the Convention on the
International Trade in Endangered Species.
A survey conducted in 2006 by China's forestry authorities
showed that there were 150,000 Tibetan antelopes in Tibet.
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2007)