Rescued Tibetan antelopes released into the wild in Hoh Xil (5)

A Tibetan antelope is blessed before being released into the wild at a wildlife rescue center of the Sonam Dargye Protection Station in Hoh Xil, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 7, 2021. Five Tibetan antelopes were released into the wild on Wednesday after being rescued in northwest China's Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve under the Sanjiangyuan National Park, the park's management bureau said. Two female and three male Tibetan antelopes were released back into nature around 1:00 p.m. Wednesday after years of being cared for at a local protection station. Tibetan antelopes are mostly found in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The species is under first-class state protection in China. The Hoh Xil nature reserve has not reported any poaching for 11 consecutive years and the population of Tibetan antelopes in the area has recovered to about 70,000. (Xinhua/Zhang Long)