XINING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The blizzard-ravaged Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, is taking every possible measure to prevent wildlife from starving.
The local government has earmarked 300,000 yuan (around 44,400 U.S. dollars) to buy and transport feed for rare animals living in the region, according to Li Xiaonan, director with the Administration for the National Park of Sanjiangyuan (Three-River-Source).
Li said the administration has set up 17 fodder sites spanning over 40 km along the roads frequented by wildlife in Zadoi County, one of the worst-hit areas.
Around five tonnes of fodders are sent to the sites every day.
Padma is among 80 rangers who have joined the rescue work. His photo was widely circulated on social media platforms recently. In the picture, he carried dried grass while crossing a cold river to feed the wild animals such as white-lipped deer and bharal, also known as Himalayan blue sheep.
"Like many other local herders, I also brought a handful of injured and hungry animals to my home," Padma said.
After days of snow storms, roads in many areas of Yushu are covered under snow. The blizzards affected one city and five counties in Yushu. No casualties have been reported, but more than 15,500 livestock are dead.
In Zadoi County, over 100 wild animals died, according to the county's Party secretary Tseten Dru.
Jorshe, head of the administration's ecological conservation department, said the wild animals froze or starved to death.
Yushu is located in the southern part of Qinghai, where the Sanjiangyuan (Three-River-Source) lies. The area is home to the headwaters of three major rivers, namely the Yangtze River, Yellow River and Lancang (Mekong) River.
