High-altitude Pursuit

Haiyuan Tong's Image

Approaching a herd of Tibetan gazelle, a pack of Himalayan wolves split up and encircled its prey. But the gazelle quickly scattered. Haiyuan tracked the wolves for the next two hours, watching them repeatedly attempt to infiltrate the herd. Finally, they isolated a youngster. The scene then became a chase, the hunters taking turns to run down the gazelle.

The wolves that live at high altitudes across the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau can tolerate low oxygen levels and extreme cold, though research is needed to uncover exactly how they are adapted to such habitats. Meanwhile, gazelle are in decline due to illegal hunting, competition with domestic livestock, and development taking place on their home ranges.


Behind the lens

Haiyuan Tong

Haiyuan Tong

China

Haiyuan loves to photograph local wild birds and other wildlife in his spare time. Over five years of bird observation and photography, he has recorded wild birds in the Golmud area of Qinghai Province, China, as part of an ongoing project. He documents the ecological conditions of wild birds, noting both their charm and the destruction their beautiful habitats.

Image details

  • Nikon D500
  • 500mm f4 lens
  • 1/800 sec at f5.6 (+0.7 e/v)  •   ISO 800
  • Mount Kunlun UNESCO Global Geopark, Qinghai, China
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