Species in News: Tibetan Antelope
Context:
In a landmark judgment for wildlife law enforcement, a New Delhi court recently convicted a Jaipur-based art gallery owner for attempting to illegally export Shahtoosh shawls.
The conviction brings closure to a 17-year-long investigation that began in December 2008
This highlights the importance of sustained inter-agency coordination involving the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Customs Department, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
Shahtoosh shawls:
Shahtoosh (a Persian word meaning "king of fine wools") is the name given to a specific kind of shawl, which is woven with the down hair of the Tibetan antelope.
The Shahtoosh shawl is now a banned item with possession and sale being illegal in most countries for the Chiru is an endangered species under CITES.
Trade in Shahtoosh has been prohibited globally under CITES since 1975, to which India is a signatory.
About the Tibetan Antelope:
Scientifically known as Pantholops hodgsonii, it is locally referred to as the Chiru.
It is a highly specialized species native to the Tibetan Plateau.
It primarily inhabits alpine plateaus, cold steppes, and semi-arid deserts at extreme altitudes ranging between 3,200 and 5,500 meters.
The antelope is intensely targeted for its exceptionally fine, soft, and warm underwool, known globally as Shahtoosh.
Because this underwool cannot be sheared or combed from a live animal, poachers must kill the antelope to harvest it, which historically decimated their wild populations.
Conservation Status & Legal Protection:
The Chiru is listed under Schedule I of India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making its hunting and domestic trade strictly prohibited.
Global commercial trade in Shahtoosh has been completely banned since 1975 under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Thanks to strict cross-border anti-poaching measures, the species has seen a successful population recovery, rising from a low of 75,000 in the 1990s to approximately 150,000 today.
Consequently, its IUCN conservation status is currently listed as Near Threatened.