The wild animals see an apparent growth in population in the Hoh Xil State Nature Reserve, biggest depopulated zone in China, Xinhua reported.

The number of Tibetan antelopes there has reached 60,000, an increase of 40,000 over the 1990s, according to official statistics.

Authorities owe the growth to the improvement of local environment and promotion in anti-poaching activities.

The local government has carried out armed patrol in an area of 45,000 square meters in order to protect wild animals, thanks to which, no armed poaching has been found in Hoh Xil since 2008, said Budrup, head of the administrative department of Hoh Xil State Nature Reserve.

In view of the remarkable achievements, the administrative department has transferred its focus from single anti-poaching activities to comprehensive management covering digitalization, sustainable development as well as scientific protection, research and monitoring.