Fund to redress herdsmen for animal attacks

Victims of wildlife attacks in the Shuanghu special zone of the Nagqu Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region should receive compensation from a special fund, local officials said.

They called for the establishment of the fund as soon as possible to improve coexistence of the people and wildlife and protect rare animals at the Shuanghu zone, which was designated as a natural reserve in 1984.

The zone covers 120,000 square kilometers with a population of only 9,000, which has become home to more than 50,000 wild yaks, over 100,000 heads of Tibetan antelopes and Mongolian gazelles, 30,000-40,000 wild asses and about 1,000 black bears. Among them, the Tibetan ass, or kiang, wild yaks and Tibetan antelopes are rare animals.

The wild animals are well protected by local people under strict rules set by the authorities of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

However, they pose a danger by often attacking inhabited areas, demolishing housing, devastating pastures and sometimes killing humans and livestock.

According to rough statistics provided by local forest police, over the past nine years wildlife attacks have cost local herdsmen 1 million yuan (US$120,480) in loss, and left two people dead and 45 injured.

Tibet boasts 18 natural reserves at the state and autonomous region levels, covering 330,000 square kilometers.

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