Zhan Jianglong (second from right) and his colleagues patrol in Hoh Xil. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

So, he and his fellow officers sprang into action and arrested the poachers. The criminals had guns in the front seats but were taken off guard and didn't resist, he says.

The seven poachers were sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Officers confiscated 752 antelope pelts.

"I was angry and sad to see the dead antelope on the ground, especially the fawns," he recalls.

Government crackdowns on poaching and such international efforts as sanctions on Tibetan antelope products brought illegal hunting of the species to a virtual halt in 2008, he says.

Natural dangers

While criminals pose a threat not only to animals but also to law enforcement, most challenges Zhan and his fellow police face are natural.

It was once common to become trapped in uninhabited areas, he recalls.

Unpredictable weather and tough terrain are primary features of this swath of the plateau. Patrols usually include more than one vehicle. That solves many problems. But not all.

He recalls a senior officer suddenly developed acute pulmonary edema in the early 2000s. He was barely conscious.

"We had to drive nonstop for a full night and the next day to get him out of the uninhabited area."

The officer recovered.

"Emergencies are very dangerous in the wild," Zhan says.

"We have no one to depend on but ourselves."

Sometimes, they were trapped in the wilderness for weeks.

They had to use radios to contact their offices before they had satellite phones.

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