Click here to go home. Chiru pic: George Schaller
THE CHIRU
The Chiru
Facts and fiction
Laws and policy
Alternatives
THE KEKEXILI
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
Declare your shahtoosh or wildlife articles
 
LEGAL STATUS OF THE CHIRU

The Chiru is protected throughout its range of distribution. In China it is a Class I Protected species and in India it comes under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972). However, till mid 2002, the Jammu and Kashmir wildlife law, which is different from the law prevailing in the rest of India, placed this species under Schedule II and exploitation was permitted. But in September 2002, the Tibetan Antelope was upgraded to Schedule I of the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act and hence is now fully protected in this region as well. In Nepal, the species is placed under Schedule I of Nepal's National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act. Apart from the species, the habitat is also protected in China, India and Nepal by creating a number of Protected Areas within the range of the chiru.

 
International trade in shahtoosh is banned due its inclusion in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), to which more than 158 countries are signatories. Even though killing, and the cross border trade of both wool and shawl is illegal, these activities continue, and shawls are sold worldwide. Due to the austere and frigid habitat of the chiru, captive breeding is not a possibility. The fact that the female migrates annually to higher northern regions to give birth, would also contribute to difficulties in farming the chiru.

With the above background information our objectives become clear:
1. To eliminate demand
2. To increase awareness about the product among law enforcers, prospective buyers and the upcoming generation both domestically and internationally, focusing on how the wool is sourced, that the source is an endangered species; and harming the animal or trading in products is illegal in most of the world.
3. To introduce replacements/alternatives like high grade hand woven pashmina The only way to successfully eliminate demand is to create an environment where people voluntarily say NO to shahtoosh and YES to the chiru. This can be achieved by making the world aware of the truth of the matter.
CHIRU PICTURE

 
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