Rare tufted deer spotted in northwest China's Qinghai Province

(ECNS) -- Two rare tufted deer were spotted in Bainma County, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, local publicity authority said on Monday.

The tufted deer is a small species of deer known for the tuft of black hair on its forehead and fang-like canines in males. It was listed as a species under second-class national protection in China in 2021.

According to Gao Hongmei, a research fellow at Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the increasing wildlife population in Bainma County signals a notable improvement in biodiversity, underscoring its significance for both national and global conservation efforts.

Located in the heart of the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve, Bainma County has witnessed an increase in wildlife sightings in recent years thanks to ongoing ecological restoration and protection efforts.

China began to establish the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai in 2000. Known as the source of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers, Sanjiangyuan is home to hundreds of wildlife species, many of which are under national protection.