July 27th, 1998

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Mongolian Antelopes, part of a 4,000-head herd.
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GLAND, Switzerland.- Mongolia's efforts to gain much-needed hard
currency through major oil concessions could threaten its so far
unspoiled natural heritage, the conservation organization WWF said
today.
The country's pristine steppes are being eyed by major international oil
companies. Some companies, like American-owned Soco, are already
extracting oil from under the steppe. But construction of oil infrastructure
across antelope migratory routes could deal the Mongolian antelope and
other so far well-conserved species a severe blow.
"The oil discovery is a good thing for Mongolia, but the antelopes are also
important," said Mr. Bazarsad Chimed-Ochir, Head of the WWF Mongolia
Project Office. "If pipelines are to be built, antelopes can still cross them
on their migrations if the pipelines are raised or put underground."
The Mongolian antelope annual migration, mobilizing up to one million
animals, is one of the last natural events of its kind still taking place in the
northern hemisphere. However, the increased taming of the steppe could
lead to a severe reduction of the species' ability to survive in the wild.
Where railroad lines have been built and fences laid, there have been
incidents of antelope getting caught on fence wires and dying of
starvation, and also of antelope populations being reduced by their
isolation from grazing and calving areas.
WWF has been helping the Mongolian government map out antelope
migratory routes and has proposed establishing them as protected areas.
The government has recently created three new protected areas outside
these migratory corridors. However, it has not yet committed itself to
protecting the corridors themselves, also critical to the breeding cycle of
the species.
According to Mr Natsagdorjiin Tseyevnmyadag, head of one of the new
protected areas, the government's hesitation in legally protecting the
corridors is due to the oil exploration. "They've delayed replying on this
question twice already and are clearly waiting to find out exactly where
the oil is," he said.
In spite of assurances by oil companies like Soco that the antelope's
biological needs will be considered, until there is a clear decision by the
government to protect migratory routes there will be little incentive by the
companies to do so. This could prove catastrophic for a species that so
far has done very well.
For more information, please contact Javier Arreaza at +41 22 364 9550
or e-mail jarreaza@wwfnet.org.
A video news release is available for free TV news usage from the WWF
Television Center, Tel. +31 30 69 37 385, attention Mr. Marc Dehond.