Abstract The Tibetan antelope chiru ( Pantholops hodgsonii ), a highly specialized ungulate endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, exhibits a unique seasonal migration of a male-dominated population to the cold, arid Changchenmo Valley in eastern Ladakh, India, raising important ecological and conservation concerns. Over three years, we examined the population structure, spatial distribution, and habitat use of chiru in relation to four sympatric ungulates: argali ( Ovis ammon ), wild yak ( Bos mutus ), Tibetan wild ass kiang, ( Equus kiang ), and bharal ( Pseudois nayaur ). Across 162 surveys covering 918.6 km, we recorded 1,670 individuals, including 710 male chiru. Chiru had a mean encounter rate of 1.19 ± 1.17 individuals/km and a typical group size of 13.69. Our results indicate that sympatric ungulates partition resources through habitat selection, facilitating summer co-occurrence, while competition intensifies in winter and spring. Chiru and kiang exhibited facilitative interactions, whereas chiru showed strong segregation from other species. Notably, we observed previously unrecorded overwintering by chiru. Despite a seemingly stable population, habitat overlap, climate change, infrastructure development, and livestock competition pose significant threats. Urgent conservation measures focusing on habitat protection, reducing human disturbance, and engaging local stakeholders are critical to ensure the long-term survival of chiru and other ungulates in this fragile Trans-Himalayan ecosystem.
Ahmad et al. (Sat,) studied this question.