The Hoh Xil region is the primary home of the nationally protected Tibetan antelope, which has been severely threatened by poaching due to its high market value. In a decade, their population plummeted by two-thirds. In 1994, Sonan Dajie, a deputy secretary of the Zhiduo County Party Committee in Qinghai, was killed during an operation to arrest poachers. The following year, his brother-in-law and fellow county party committee deputy, Zaba Dorje, formed the "Western Wild Yak Team," an armed anti-poaching group credited with significant success by environmental organizations and government bodies. However, shortly after achieving recognition, Dorje was shot and killed at his home.
