The Chang Tang Reserve in Northern Tibet is the last remaining habitat of the Tibetan Antelope. Well, this month marks the mating season of these rare and beautiful animals. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet, presented by the American Museum of Natural History.
We’re listening to music from Tibet. Dr. George Schaller is the author of Tibet’s Hidden Wilderness, a book which focuses on the wildlife and nomads of the Chang Tang Reserve.
“The Tibetan Antelope have one unfortunate characteristic. They have the finest wool in the world and because of that, they have been killed by the tens of thousands in the last few years. This wool is all obtained illegally but these animals are killed by local people, by truck drivers, by officials, by everybody because the wool is smuggled out of Tibet and it goes either to Kasmir or to Italy where it is woven into scarves and sold under the name of shahtoosh.”
In Hindi, shahtoosh means “king of wool”. The fabric is so fine that it fetches enormous prices in the textile markets.
“A scarf may cost three thousand dollars. A shawl may cost eight thousand dollars. So, the developed wealthy countries are killing off a species unknowingly. One they’re never heard about for a luxury item they don’t need.”
“For several years now the Tibet Forest Departments and others have been trying to curtail the trade in this wool, but it is difficult because whenever an animal becomes an expensive commodity. Whether it’s ivory or rhino horn, there will be a market for it. Legal or illegal.”
Pulse of the Planet is presented by the American Museum of Natural History. I’m Jim Metzner.