Meng and his team said that reindeer in China originated from Siberia about 2000 years ago, migrating with the Ewenki people, who have been called "the last hunting tribe of China." The reindeer population peaked in the 1970s at more than 1080 animals, but declined markedly from 1998 onwards mainly as a result of inbreeding, poaching, predation and tourism. "The semi-domesticated (reindeer) population in China, Mongolia and Russia -- and especially China -- should be given enough concern by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List," Xiuxiang said. "Our survey showed that the reindeer in China comprise the southernmost reindeer population in the world, which is so important to the distribution and conservation of reindeer worldwide."
– The iconic reindeer is in peril, according to a new study analyzing population trends in China. While their numbers have been in decline for decades, dropping by at least 28% since the 1970s, the rate of decline has increased dramatically since 1998, reports UPI. The study, published in the Journal for Nature Conservation, puts the number of reindeer in the "Arctic region of China" at 773; the 1970s peak was 1,080. The researchers point to six factors contributing to the sinking numbers there: inbreeding, poaching, natural predators, lack of herders and breeders, climate change, and changes in the tourism industry. Another researcher adds disease to the list. They say the IUCN Red List Data on reindeer is out of date; the animals are still listed under their 2008 classification as being of "least concern." The China population is the southernmost in the world, reports Discovery News, and that designation makes it especially "important to the distribution and conservation of reindeer worldwide," says the lead author. The researchers would like to see China establish nature reserves and parks within the animals' natural habitat as a conservation method. (One way reindeer are better coping with climate change in the Arctic? Castration.)