Facts About Qinghai Hoh Xil That You Should Definitely Know

Qinghai Hoh Xil is the most significant and highest Plateau in the world.

Qinghai Hoh Xil can be found in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is full of alpine mountains and steppe systems.

The area is over 14764 ft (4500 m) above sea level, with sub-zero temperatures throughout the year. Spectacular biodiversity is seen in the area due to the site's natural habitat and climatic and geographical conditions.

Around 30% of the plant species and all the herbivorous animals are only found in this location. The area also sees the migratory route of the Tibetan antelope. Tibetan antelopes are also endemic to the Plateau and are currently endangered.

Around 60,000 Tibetan antelopes are seen in Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve. They live peacefully without being hunted.

Geography & Geology

Qinghai Hoh Xil is found on the extreme northeast side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The area is full of alpine mountains and steppe systems. Qinghai Hoh Xil is also called the 'Third Pole' of the Earth.

Sub-zero temperatures prevail all year round in Qinghai Hoh Xil. The lowest temperature sometimes even reaches -45°C (-49°F).

The location has a large plantation area and basin on the Plateau. Qinghai Hoh Xil has the largest number of lakes on the Plateau and many lake basins at high altitudes. The site indeed looks like a place frozen in time with uninhabited landscapes and harsh climates.

Unique biodiversity is also seen due to the exceptional climatic conditions and geographical formation of the land. All herbivorous mammals and over 30% of the plant species are endemic to Qinghai Hoh Xil.

Even 60% of the mammals in the land are endemic to the Plateau. The Tibetan antelope species are seen feeding on the alpine grasslands and meadows near the lake basins of Qinghai Hoh Xil. These areas are also the migration grounds.

The migration route is from Sanjiangyuan to Hoh Xii. The Kunlun Mountains are also a sight to behold in these lands.

There are significantly less human development and influence in the region due to the extreme climate and inaccessibility in Qinghai Hoh Xil. This has also helped in supporting the traditional grazing that goes on with the conservation of nature. However, global climate change has still impacted this region with diverse precipitation systems and warm temperatures.

The location is full of extraordinary beauty. In summer, the small cushion plants bloom into different colors. Near the hot springs at the bottom of the snowy mountains, the odor of ash, dust, and sulfur mix with the cold wind of the glacier.

Different rivers are created by melting glaciers, making many lakes of different shapes and colors. The lake basins are one of the must-visit places in the region. There are different stages of the lakes.

They create a crucial watershed at the source of the Yangtze River. You might not have seen any more spectacular landscape than this.

The basins also are the main calving grounds of the endemic Tibetan antelope. Thousands of female antelopes migrate long distances during early summer. They travel from wintering areas in Changtang, the Altun Mountains, and Sanjiangyuan to the lake basins of Qinghai Hoh Xil.

Wildlife

The reason for these high levels of endemism within the region for the flora is due to the cold climate and high altitudes of Qinghai Hoh Xil. Similar endemism levels are seen within wild animals too.

A little less than 50% of the total vegetation in the area is covered by alpine grasslands. These areas are filled with the grass Stipa purpurea.

Alpine meadows and alpine talus are also abundant in the region. Around 33% of the higher plants in the Qinghai Hoh Xil region are endemic.

The herbivorous mammals feeding on these plants are also endemic to Qinghai Hoh Xil. Seventy-four species of living beings are found in Qinghai Hoh Xil.

It includes 48 birds, 19 mammals, six fish, and a reptile called Phrynocephalus vliangalii. Qinghai Hoh Xil is known for its population of Tibetan antelope, Kiang, wild yak, Tibetan gazelle, brown bear, and wolf. All these animals are regularly seen in the Qinghai Hoh Xil region.

Around 40% of the Tibetan antelope in the world and about half of the world's wild yak popular depend on this region. Qinghai Hoh Xil had the habitats for the complete life cycle of the Tibetan antelope species.

Even after a long migration, the area facilitates the females' giving birth. Around 30,000 animals are supported by the calving grounds in Qinghai Hoh Xil every year.

Around 40,000 Tibetan antelopes stay in the Qinghai Hoh Xil area in the winter. It accounts for around 20-40% of the worldwide population of the species.

World Heritage Site

UNESCO gave the Qinghai Hoh Xil World Heritage Site status on July 7, 2017. The site's big scale and remoteness help them protect the region against the growing threats in the world. The area was given the status because the Qinghai Hoh Xil region is the highest and largest Plateau in the world.

Protection & Management

The state owns the areas inside the Qinghai Hoh Xil region. All areas are protected at the national level.

There is a coordination mechanism and a management system in place that ensures financial and human resources by getting the help of local and central governments, NGOs, communities, and research institutes. All these institutions, along with local and central legal protection, have managed to protect the natural state of Qinghai Hoh Xil and all that comes within.

The resident species have been able to survive due to all these efforts.

The Qinghai Hoh Xil Property Management Plan sees the management and conservation of the region. The plan finds some objectives and a vision to enhance and maintain the Outstanding Universal Value that the property has.

This plan also puts forward some management activities that can improve protection in the region. The plan includes local Tibetan herders staying in Qinghai Hoh Xil and its buffer zone.

It encourages conservation, educational, and management efforts. The plan specifies many issues regarding public promotion, monitoring, development of tourism, and management of the transport corridor that goes through Qinghai Hoh Xil and the buffer zones.

Qinghai Hoh Xil benefits significantly from the management agency integrated into the culture. The agency coordinates everything from provincial, central, municipal, and local authorities. To conserve and manage the property, all staff with experience are provided.

Other Miscellaneous Facts

There is no human impact in the area covering Qinghai Hoh Xil. The inaccessibility and extreme climatic conditions help protect the globally significant species found in the region.

These animals and plants depend on the Plateau and Qinghai Hoh Xil, and the area has been delivering for them ever since.

A buffer zone is not found to the north and west of Qinghai Hoh Xil as the property is near three well-protected areas in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, and Xinjiang Autonomous Region. However, these three areas need to be well-conserved and protected to ensure the safety of Qinghai Hoh Xil.

The west part of Qinghai Hoh Xil is called the Hoh Xii National Nature Reserve. This area is uninhabited and is in its completely natural and pure state.

The east part of Qinghai Hoh Xil is called the Soja-Qumar River subzone of Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. This area is also almost in its pure form. This area is known for the traditional nomadic lives of Tibetan pastoralists who have lived with the conservation of Qinghai Hoh Xil for a long time.

The communities work with the authorities to take part in the conservation efforts of the property. The strict enforcement of the law has helped stop the illegal mining and poaching incidents in the area.

The highway is one of the main challenges that come while protecting the Hoh Xil property. Even the railway connecting Qinghai and Tibet poses a challenge in this regard.

The road and railway pass through the eastern part from the north to the south. The construction of corridors and managing the transport corridor while migrating has helped animal migration quite a lot in the region. The Tibetan antelope and other species endemic to the region have been able to adapt to the corridors quickly.

Climate change is an issue that can make a dent in the integrity of the ecosystems and endemic species of Qinghai Hoh Xil.

Although humans have not been able to intervene with nature in this part of the world due to the extensive areas and elevation of the land, the average temperature in Qinghai Hoh Xil has risen quite a lot in the last 60 years.

Glaciers and permafrost have melted, alpine meadows have been encroached by alpine shrubs, and grasslands have turned into deserts.

Earthquakes have created new faults and hot springs in the region.

Melting of glaciers and an increase in the rain have flooded a natural lake shore and created fresh lakes down the land, changing the dynamics of habitats in the Hoh Xil area. Growing temperatures might make some species of the lower altitudes move to new habitats on the Plateau.

Warmer temperatures also might make human settlements move into previously inhabitable areas.

FAQs

What is Qinghai Hoh Xil famous for?
It is famous for being the highest and largest Plateau in the world.

Where is Qinghai Hoh Xil located?
It is situated in the northeastern area of the extensive Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

What kind of endangered species are found at Qinghai Hoh Xil?
Wild animals like Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan wild yaks, Kiangs, Tibetan gazelles, wolves, and brown bears are found in the area. We also see seasonal migration of Tibetan antelopes in the Plateau.

Why is Qinghai Hoh Xil important?
Qinghai Hoh Xil covers an area that is free from human interaction. Qinghai Hoh Xil is known to be an uninhabited area. The climate, as well as the inaccessibility, has helped protect the site for the last group of plateau-dependent species out there.

When and why was Qinghai Hoh Xil declared a World Heritage Site?
On July 7, 2017, the Qinghai Hoh Xil region was added to the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO for being the biggest and highest Plateau in the world.