Man vs Nature

Creatures of habitat

Wolves, however, are a major problem at neighboring Qumahe Primary School, where he's now headmaster. They've killed more than 40 sheep in the school's pasture since he took the post two years ago, he says.

"It hurts the students," the pasture's herder Tsehangdorge says.

"They need meat. Predators take their meat."

Youngdingqupai says the school simply doesn't have the 10,000 yuan to build a wall to protect the herd. It didn't even have much electricity until a nonprofit agency donated solar panels last summer.

Wolves take three to five sheep a year from Yege school's pasture, the herd's shepherd Suonambtsering says.

"I've heard the government will give us up to 800 yuan in compensation if wolves kill our sheep and we take a picture," the 48-year-old resident of Longma village says.

"But we can't take pictures. Nomads don't have cameras."

The local market value for a sheep is about 1,000 yuan, he adds.

"I have to worry about predators constantly, whether I'm walking outside or sitting at home. I have to wake up in the middle of the night to check my sheep. Sometimes, two or three wolves come. All you can do then is run away. They've bitten nomads and even killed some elderly people."

Related: Watching elephants raze a restaurant

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