Changtang National Protected Area

The Changtang National Protected Area spans 334,000 square kilometers across the northern Tibetan Plateau, making it the third largest nature reserve on Earth.

The Chinese government established this protected area in 1993 with guidance from animal behaviorist George Schaller to safeguard the region's endangered species.

The protected area contains territories where Tibetan nomadic herders maintain their traditional ways of livestock management in high-altitude grasslands.

The reserve reaches altitudes of 5,000 meters and experiences winter temperatures dropping to minus 40 degrees Celsius, with summer rains limiting vehicle access.

The area shelters populations of snow leopards, Tibetan wild yaks, black-necked cranes, and Tibetan antelopes across its vast alpine steppes and meadows.

Location: Gertse County

Location: Gê'gyai County

Location: Rutog County

Elevation above the sea: 5,000 m

GPS coordinates: 30.00000,88.00000

Latest update: November 11, 2025 06:25