Tibetan antelope is a protected animal in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and a first-class protected animal in China's Wildlife Protection Law. Thousands of these rare animals are still hunted every year, and people use their fluff to weave delicate and soft "shahtoosh" shawls for illegal trade. The international animal welfare foundation's protection of this precious and unique animal living in the western plateau of China includes: supporting the habitat protection and anti-poaching patrol of Tibetan antelope; Initiate shahtoosh trade market survey; Organize consumer-oriented educational activities; Support the relevant national endangered species management agencies to enforce the law on the source, circulation channels, consumer markets and other aspects of the illegal trade of Tibetan antelope cashmere. In the Tibetan antelope habitat on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its surrounding areas, the International Animal Welfare Foundation has helped local nature reserves and anti-poaching organizations solve their difficulties and organize patrols by providing them with communication equipment, field equipment and funds, and printing publicity materials. At the same time, it has paid attention to educating the surrounding people and effectively supported anti-poaching patrols.
In May, 20001,the International Animal Welfare Foundation and the National Forest Public Security Bureau jointly held a seminar and training course on the protection and law enforcement of Tibetan antelopes in Nanjing. Thirty forest police officers from Qinghai, Xinjiang and Tibet provinces reached an understanding on establishing a joint defense mechanism for the protection of Tibetan antelopes in the three provinces. Since 2002, the International Animal Welfare Foundation, in cooperation with the State Environmental Protection Administration, the State Forestry Administration, the Forest Public Security Bureau and the China Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office, has held an annual seminar on the protection of Tibetan antelopes in Qinghai, Tibet and Xinjiang. The seminar has played a positive role in further strengthening cooperation among protected areas in various provinces, effectively promoting anti-poaching law enforcement activities and habitat protection of Tibetan antelopes and maintaining biodiversity in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. On June 27th, 20001year, the International Animal Welfare Fund and the Indian Wildlife Fund held a press conference on "Ending the Sinful Trade-International Action to Save the Endangered Tibetan Antelope" at the same time in Beijing, New Delhi and London, which revealed the latest investigation results of the international illegal trade in Tibetan antelope cashmere and called on the international community to make joint efforts to protect Tibetan antelopes. These efforts include: launching a public publicity campaign specifically aimed at the fashion industry to stop the market demand for Shatush shawls and providing information to India, the processing place. In the Tibetan Plateau, the habitat of Tibetan antelopes, anti-poaching actions and public awareness education activities are resolutely and continuously carried out.
Asian elephant is a species strictly protected and prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and it is a first-class protected wild animal in China. However, at present, there are only about 250 wild Asian elephants in China, and the remaining 250 wild Asian elephants are also facing a severe survival crisis. The main threat to their survival comes from the gradual loss of their habitat. Wild Asian elephants only live in Xishuangbanna, Simao and Lincang areas of Yunnan Province. In the past few decades, human activities such as deforestation and agricultural production have greatly reduced the habitat of wild elephants in Yunnan, and at the same time triggered the contradiction between local farmers and wild elephants for living space.
In July 2000, in order to solve the conflict between human and elephant in Simao area, the International Animal Welfare Foundation cooperated with Yunnan Forestry Department and Simao Municipal Government to launch the "China Asian Elephant and its Habitat Protection Project" in July 2000. The project changed the compensation mechanism that only provided funds to passively compensate the losses caused by wild animals in the past, and instead subsidized the local development of rural community economy to alleviate the pressure brought by elephant activities to farmers. The International Animal Welfare Foundation encourages villagers to grow alternative crops, reduces agricultural activities in forests, responds to the government's policy of returning farmland to forests, and protects the habitat of Asian elephants by providing "mutual fund" small-scale poverty alleviation loans to local communities. At the same time, the project also provides villagers with knowledge training in agricultural technology, safety education, animal protection and habitat protection. Through the scientific research activities of the project, the food structure of the elephant was determined, and according to the elephant's demand for salt, an artificial nitrate pool was established in the forest to attract the elephant away from farmland and villages. At the same time, the Foundation has also carried out a variety of environmental education activities such as "planting clear forests" and "selecting green flag families" in local community villages and primary and secondary schools.
In 200 1 year, through the joint efforts of international fund for animal welfare and local forestry departments, the Simao municipal government issued a new five-year ban on hunting, which effectively promoted the protection of wild animals such as Asian elephants in this area. In 2003, the International Animal Welfare Foundation cooperated with Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve and established the Asian Elephant Protection Project Office in Xishuangbanna. From the end of 2008 to June 5438+0, 2009, the International Animal Welfare Foundation and Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve Administration jointly launched the "2009 Forest and Wildlife Protection Publicity Month", which is the continuation of the "Protection Publicity Month" of the Asian elephant protection project at the end of 2008. So far, the International Animal Welfare Foundation has carried out the first and second Asian elephant protection projects in Pu 'er and Xishuangbanna from 2000 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2008 respectively. Now the third phase of the Asian elephant protection project is under way.