A herd of wild asses runs next to a frozen river in front of Yu Tzu Mountain at sunrise.
These stunningly beautiful animals are found across the entire plateau, but they are quite shy and usually stay far from the roads. They are sometimes seen in small groups of 3-4, but can also be found in herds up to 200 strong. They are a favorite prey for wolves, but a single well-placed kick from an adult is also enough a to kill a wolf.
These animals, and many of the other ungulates of the Tibetan Plateau, were once hunted and killed in large numbers. These days, they are well protected, and unlike our government in America, the Chinese government is expanding protected areas and improving the policies governing those areas.
While there will always remain work to be done, the wildlife on the Tibetan Plateau is making an impressive comeback.
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@jedweingarten @natgeocreative @thenorthernyeti
Yushu, Qinghai, China
