With the help of their two-legged friends, rare four-legged residents and other endangered species on the "roof of the world" will soon have their own exclusive, well-protected sanctuary in northwestern Tibet.

Chinese scientists have confirmed that officials in China and American conservationists signed a letter of intent last November 29 to establish what they say will be the world's largest wildlife reserve. It will be within the Qiangtang (Chang Tang) area, a rather pure tract encompassing the heart of one of the biggest and most unspoiled ecosystems on Earth.

Qiangtang, meaning "Northern Plain" or "Northern Wilderness" in the Tibetan language, is a mysterious, awe-inspiring area of about 800,000 square kilometres, roughly two-thirds of the Tibet Autonomous Region. To its north lie the Kunlun Mountains, and to the south tower the Gangdise and Nyenchen Tanglha mountain ranges. The Tanglha Range stands on its eastern threshold. This vast stretch of highland, at an average altitude of 4,500 metres, consists of isolated mountains and rolling plains dotted with 1,500 lakes, more than anywhere else in China.

With an average annual temperature between minus 3 degrees and zero Celsius and a yearly precipitation between 100 and 300 millimetres, Qingtang is too cold and dry to accommodate human souls, but it is what Chinese and American zoologists call "a rare animal garden."

It is the native habitat for wild yaks, Tibetan wild asses, Tibetan takins, Tibetan gazelles, Tibetan wild sheep, blue sheep and Tibetan brown bears, all of which are found only in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as "the roof of the world." It is also frequented by other precious mammals and birds such as snow leopards, lynx, white-lipped deers, golden-haired monkeys, wolves, tigers and Tibetan snow-cocks. Flocks of swans, wild ducks, pigeons and other transients can be found on its lakes and isles.

As the last foothold for these plateau creatures, the region "represents the finest wildlife area remaining in China and one of the finest in the world," said the letter of intent. "It represents a well-preserved ecosystem that has yet been little modified by humans, an ecosystem unique in the world."

The establishment of the Qiangtang Natural Reserve was proposed last autumn when Chinese environmentalists hosted a noted American biologist, Dr. George Schaller. They had concluded that the beauty of the region, its rare and interesting flora and fauna, and its great scientific value make it a natural treasure of Tibet, China and the world, and it should be protected, said Xue Dayuan, a Chinese biologist from the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science.

Last November, Xue accompanied Dr. Schaller to Tibet. There, a representative from the Tibetan Environmental Protection Agency and Dr. Schaller, on behalf of Wildlife Conservation International, a unit of the New York Zoological Society, endorsed the letter. The document, which commits no legal effect, defines the location of the Qiangtang Natural Reserve (See diagram). Total area of the reserve will top 200,000 square kilometres, or about the size of Britain.

"This is indeed an ambitious design and its realization depends, to a great extent, on how much funds we can get," said Xue, adding that both sides are discussing ways to raise money.

He also expressed his hope that people all over the world would support the proposal and donate money. "Those plateau rare animals are not only our treasures, they also belong to the whole world, just like the giant panda," he said.

Xue said the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, bearing a great responsibility to protect the wildlife neighbourhood, fully supports the efforts of the scientists and environmentalists concerned with this project. It would also like to see the letter of intent translated into reality, although no timetable has been set for establishing the reserve.

Across the country, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been on the lips of many people recently. On March 14 the China Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Society, which plans to study the highland's biology, geology, resources, environment and development, was founded in Beijing.

At the inauguration ceremony, which also served to open a symposium on the tableland, zoologists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences estimated that there are about 35,700 wild donkeys now roaming the Karakoram Kunlun areas. They also said there are 35,000 wild yaks and 90,000 Tibetan takins living in the Kunlun Mountains.

Among those alpine living treasures, the snow leopard has drawn the focus of attention.

"It is no less valuable than the giant panda," said Xue, adding that there is even a snow leopard research society abroad. China now has no more than 1,000 snow leopards, he said.

Despite the fact that few people live in the area, snow leopards and other wildlife have failed to escape the threats posed by human beings.

Early on the morning of February 24, four farmers of Huangzhong County in Qinghai Province were caught with 14 freshly-killed snow leopards and seven dead blue sheep, The Qinghai Daily reported. The conservationists and the media were shocked by the slaughter, and demanded that the hunters be punished severely, the newspaper added.

Because of these senseless acts, Xue said, it becomes imperative that all measures be taken, including setting up more preserves, to keep wildlife out of harm's way.

(This article appears on page 7, No. 15, 1990)