Patrollers in Hoh Xil have been guarding Tibetan antelopes for decades, and send calves left behind or that get separated from the herd, to the wildlife rescue center at the Sonam Dargye protection station.

Since the establishment of Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve in 1997, six such protection stations have been built.

In addition to working in shifts, batches of rangers go deep into the hinterland.

Extreme conditions can be difficult to cope with. The patrols work at an average elevation of more than 4,600 meters, where oxygen levels are likely to be 55 percent lower than at sea level.

Up to now, three generations of patrols have guarded Hoh Xil, which has become a landmark area for wildlife protection and ecological protection in China.