Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the paradise for wild animals, some of which are rare and precious. 

Wild yaks, under first-class state protection, area special cattle species living on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is learned that wild yaks on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were domesticated 7,300 years ago.  

Photo shows wild yaks in Tibet’s Changtang Nature Reserve. (Photo/Xinhua) 

Tibetan antelopes, dubbed as the plateau elves, mainly live in places at an altitude of 4,600m to 6,000m. The number of red blood cells in Tibetan antelope is twice that of human beings. Therefore, nutrients can be retained in Tibetan antelopes’ muscles even when oxygen is scarce. 

According to calculations, Tibetan antelopes can run at a maximum speed of 80 km/hour. 

Photo shows a Tibetan antelope on the prairie. (Photo/cctv.com) 

Tibetan kiangs are a species of endangered plateau animal under first-class state protection. They live in areas at an altitude of over 3,000m.  

Photo shows running Tibetan kiangs in the snowfield in Gansu Province.(Photo/chinanews.com) 

White-lipped deer live in alpine meadows, shrubs, and forests at an altitude of 3,500m to 5,000m. They tend to live in groups of various sizes, sometimes three to five, sometimes dozens or even 100 to 200. They mainly feed on herbaceous plants like sedge and serpent grass. They also like to lick salty stuff. 

Photo shows white-lipped deer walking across a river in Sanjiangyuan National Park. (Photo/qh.gov.cn) 

Argalis tend to live in groups, whose habits are similar to that of wild sheep. Argalis are mainly found in central Asia and Northwest China. 

Photo shows argalis walking on Altun Mountains after snow. (Photo/chinanews.com) 

Snow leopards, under first-class state protection, are elusive. Statistics show that there are 2,500 to 3,500 snow leopards in China. Snow leopards usually appear on the frozen alpine bare rocks and in cold deserts. Their footprints were once seen on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma at an altitude of 5,400m.  

Photo shows a snow leopard shot by a Xinjiang folk animal protection organization near Urumqi in 2016. (Photo/chinanews.com)