North China Sees Major Increase of Endangered Sheep

North China sees major increase of endangered sheep

URUMQI, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — The number of Marco Polo sheep, an endangered species of sheep, has increased satisfactorily in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a field investigation has found.

Scientists spotted 1,100 Marco Polo sheep, an subspecies of argali sheep, in Akto, and 970 argali sheep in Taxkorgan, a major increase from mid 1980s when George Schaller of the Wildlife Conservation Society found only 150 Marco Polo sheep in Taxkorgan, said Zhu Fude, head of the wildlife conservation section of Xinjiang Forestry Department.

“We focused on Akto and Taxkorgan during our investigation. The number of argali sheep we spotted on the spot is encouraging and surprising,” said Hu Zuojun of Xinjiang Wildlife Conservation Society, who took part in the investigation.

Local authorities have taken measures to conserve the endangered species and fight against poaching, which led to the increase, Zhu Fude said.

The field investigation from Oct. 22 to Nov. 23 was done by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society based in New York, the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Xinjiang Wildlife Conservation Society.

Marco Polo sheep are mainly found on Pamirs and in the western part of Tianshan Mountains.

The sheep is named after Italian explorer Marco Polo, who discovered argali in Xinjiang after he came to China in 1271. The explorer’s travelogue is known as the first book about China by a Westerner.