Four major nature reserves covering 550,000 square km in west China jointly announced on August 7 an alliance to protect the environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The four reserves are Chiangtang Nature Reserve in Tibet Autonomous Region, Hoh Xil Nature Reserve and Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province and Altun Mountain Nature Reserve in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

At an average altitude of 4,000 meters, they cover 58.3 percent of national nature reserve areas, and together they can be considered the world's largest nature reserve group. With a fragile environment, the areas are the habitat of many of China's unique animals, such as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and Tibetan wild burrows, among others, and they are the key to the nation's ecological security.

Officials from the four nature reserves plan to set up a joint wild animal database to share information and reinforce daily communications.

The information platform will also set up a reporting system to crack down on poaching and keep tourists from disrupting wild animals.