wild camel protection - mining threat

as reported - in Shanghai Daily
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=302169&type=National


Endangered camels under threat as miners encroach
2007-1-9


MINING, prospecting and road building in a nature reserve in northwest China are sharply shrinking the habitat of wild camels.

The camels could vanish from the region if they are not better protected, according to experts from the area.

A 10-day scientific survey found that the domain of the two-humped Bactrian camels has shrunk to a "very small" mountainous area in the Lop Nur State Wild Camel Nature Reserve, southeast of Turpan, in eastern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"If the remaining habitat is not protected, the wild Bactrian camels may disappear in Xinjiang," said Yuan Lei, one of the seven-member team that conducted the survey last month.

Researchers saw only four wild Bactrian camels, three adults and a young one, said Yuan, who is also a senior engineer with the nature reserve.

Yuan blames mining and resource prospecting within the reserve for scaring the camels away and harming their habitat.

Iron, copper, zinc and lead mines have opened in the past couple of years in the nature reserve, and Yuan said he doesn't have enough power to stop them.

"The problem is how to coordinate resource development with environmental protection," said Yuan. "The reserve doesn't have a police force, so it's difficult to stop illegal mining and prospecting."

During the recent survey, Yuan handed out literature to miners and prospectors hoping to raise their awareness of how to protect the environment.

Yuan says most of the mining is taking place around the perimeter of the reserve, but some mines have opened in key protected areas. A 60-kilometer road has also been built in the reserve.

Yuan believes the camels have been pushed to the southwest of the 780,000-square-kilometer reserve.

The wild Bactrian camels live in both northwest China and Mongolia, where their numbers are estimated at 800.

Previous estimates in the Lop Nur Nature Reserve put their numbers at 400, but Yuan isn't sure if that many remain there now.

The wild camel has been labeled "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

They are also on China's list of most protected wild animals.


more info

www.wildcamels.com