Pregnant Tibetan antelopes move across the Qinghai-Tibet highway in Hoh Xil, northwest China's Qinghai Province, May 29, 2023.(Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

LHASA, June 5  -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region released its latest report on the region's ecological environment on Monday. The report showed that Tibet remained one of the best regions in the world in regard to the ecological environment quality in 2022.

Tibet experienced an average of 99.5 percent of the year with good air quality, according to the report released by the regional ecology and environment department.

During the period, the overall air quality in the Mt. Qomolangma region was graded as Class I, China's best level according to the national standards. Meanwhile, Lhasa, the regional capital, ranked first among China's 168 major cities under air quality monitoring in terms of days with good air quality.

In recent years, Tibet has strengthened its efforts to protect local biodiversity, promote sustainable development and improve its monitoring network on biodiversity.

The report shows that the population of the Tibetan antelope, a signature endemic species, has increased from about 70,000 in the 20th century, the lowest level, to over 300,000 nowadays.

The number of black-necked cranes, listed under the top protection in China, has increased from less than 3,000 in the 20th century to more than 10,000. In addition, other rare and endangered wildlife such as Yunnan golden hair monkeys and Tibetan red deer have also shown remarkable recovery in their population, said the report.

By the end of last year, Tibet had established a total of 47 nature reserves, protecting more than 412,000 square km, which accounted for more than 34 percent of the region's land area, according to the regional ecology and environment department.