Tarim River Wapiti

Tarim River Wapiti

　　Shaya County is located in the Tarim River Basin, where the Tarim wapiti also inhabits, hence it is commonly known as the "Hometown of Wapiti." The most notable characteristic of the Tarim River wapiti is its adaptability to arid and semi-arid desert grassland areas. It can thrive on coarse forage, has a relatively smaller body size, is good at running, and produces smaller antlers. However, its antlers can be harvested twice a year, resulting in higher overall yield. The Tarim River wapiti, being raised on natural pasture without any additives, offers highly nutritious meat, blood, and velvet as premium tonics.

　　The Tarim River wapiti is a wild animal that thrives under the pristine natural ecological conditions of the Tarim River Basin. It is highly resistant to drought and high temperatures, and can feed on coarse forage. It also features high feed conversion efficiency and a favorable velvet-to-feed ratio, and is classified as a second-class protected animal in China. Among global wapiti breeds, the Tarim River wapiti has one of the highest velvet yields per unit body weight. It is mainly distributed across the Tarim River Basin, with the main production areas in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture and the Aksu Region, and a population of over 30,000.