Intense poaching for shahtoosh decimated chiru populations, reducing them to approximately 10% of their original numbers by the 1990s. 3. Legal Status and Penalties

The fiber is roughly one-fifth the width of a human hair, ranging between 9 and 11 microns .

It is a non-bailable criminal offense under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 . USA: It is illegal under the Endangered Species Act . UK: It is a criminal offense under COTES Regulations .

Report: The Status of Shahtoosh Trade and Purchase The purchase of shahtoosh is due to the extreme conservation threat it poses to the Tibetan antelope ( chiru ). Any purchase, possession, or trade of shahtoosh products today is a criminal offense. 1. What is Shahtoosh?

It is obtained from the fine under-fleece of the Tibetan antelope ( Pantholops hodgsonii ), which lives on the high-altitude Tibetan plateau.