Thousands of wild Mongolian
gazelles broke through the China-Mongolia border on Monday while escaping a
prairie fire on the Mongolian side. China”s border control authorities told
China daily about 2,000 gazelles, mostly pregnant females, broke through the
border as they escaped a spreading wildfire in Mongolia.

The prairie fire initially
occurred in eastern Mongolia, which borders East Ujimqin Banner (County) in
north China”s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fire then spread across the
Sino-Mongolian border. The gazelles dashed through barbed wire barricades,
incurring minor injuries on the way. Several male gazelles charged the fences
first, making holes for their pregnant companions. About 30 gazelles became
stuck in the fence and were consumed by the spreading wildfire.

A large number of Mongolian
gazelles graze near the Sino-Mongolian border. They enter China in mid- to late
July every year, foraging for food. According to local police, more gazelles
are expected to run for the border, as the wildfire has destroyed the meadows
that they normally use for food. The fire was extinguished after rain on
Tuesday.