Chinese police have seized 171 skulls of Tibetan antelopes in a raid on an underground processing plant in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Xinhua learned on Tuesday.

The forestry police also seized the skulls of 14 of wild yaks and 40 white-lipped deer. All of these animals are protected as first level endangered species in China.

The police also found in the plant an additional 100 skulls as well as specimens of wild animals covered under second level endangered species state protection.

The 53-year-old owner of the plant, identified only by his surname Li, has been taken into custody.

Meanwhile, forestry police in northwest China's Qinghai Province said on Monday that they had seized more than 100 pelts of rare wild animals, including 27 snow leopards.

The Qinghai police were tipped off about an illegal deal concerning snow leopards pelts in central Gansu Province while they were investigating another case relating to the illegal transportation of snow leopard items.

The police followed the new tip. They discovered that a resident surnamed Ma located in Linxia, central Gansu, had purchased a large number of protected animals furs.

Hunting wild animals under state protection is strictly forbidden in China. Possession, transportation and sale of wild animal products must have government approval.

Tibetan antelopes have been targets of rampant poaching. Their valuable wool, known as shahtoosh, translates literally as "king of wool". Since 1979 Tibetan antelopes have been recognized as an endangered species and protected under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species.

A survey conducted in 2006 by China's forestry authorities showed that there were 150,000 Tibetan antelopes in Tibet.

(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2007)