Przewalski's gazelles, an extremely endangered species, have seen a population increase in northwest China's Qinghai Province, a reserve zone said on Sunday.

Latest monitoring data showed that the number of Przewalski's gazelles exceeded 830 in China's first reserve set up for the species in Gangcha County bordering Qinghai Lake, a spokesman from the reserve said.

The number of Przewalski's gazelles in the mid-1990s decreased sharply to only about 300 around the lake.

The population rise can be attributed to coordinated efforts from local governments, non-governmental environmental protection organizations, and herdsmen around the lake, the only place the animal can be found now, he said.

To better protect the animal, China set up its first reserve zone for Przewalski's gazelles in 2007. The government also subsidizes herdsmen to lower their farm fences to help this migrating species.

The gazelle, native to China like the famous Tibetan antelope, is the most endangered hoofed mammal species in the world. Przewalski's gazelle was named after a Russian adventurer who collected a specimen and brought it back to St. Petersburg in 1875.

It was once found in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province.

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