A man honored as "Guardian of Tibetan Antelopes", who spends almost 10 years in fighting with Tibetan antelope poachers, has relayed the Olympic flame in Qinghai leg. His name is Cege, a native Tibetan.

Born in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai, Cege was once a cavalry and later became head of Hol Xil Nature Reserve (Ke Ke Xi Li) Administration.

"Illegal poaching is rampant at that time. The number of Tibetan antelopes has sharply dropped from previous 200,000 to less than 20,000, bringing Tibetan antelope into the rank of world endangered animals," said Cege.

Unsafe habitat of Tibetan antelopes has aroused great attentions from the central government. Hence, China set up the Hol Xil Nature Reserve (Ke Ke Xi Li) Administration to protect the Tibetan antelopes.

In February 1998, Cege led a group to the heartland of Hol Xil Nature Reserve, marking the official start of anti-poaching of Tibetan antelope campaign. In the past decade, Hol Xil Nature Reserve Administration has taken 300 times of mountain patrol with a patrol area of 700,000 kilometers, involving 2,500 workers.

With great efforts taken, dozens of illegal poachers were arrested. Once savage poaching of Tibetan antelopes, has brought under control and the number of Tibetan antelopes has thus increased to 60,000.

However, it is never a piece of cake to work in the 'no man area' of Hol Xil with over 4,500 meters above sea level. Difficulties such as deficiency of oxygen and severe weather, Cege and his staff have to face.

"No matter what difficulties we met, Cege always takes the lead and remains at his post, however, he has absented from home for almost five to six years," said Wang Zhoutai, a staff with Hol Xil Nature Reserve Administration.

In August 2003, when Qinghai applied to the Organizing Committee of Beijing Olympic Games, for adopting Tibetan antelopes as official mascot of Beijing Olympic Games, Cege started bustling around China for a successful application.

On November 11, 2005, when knowing Tibetan antelope was officially confirmed as "Yingying" of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Cege wept for joy at the press conference.

"As a guardian of Tibetan antelopes, I will do my endeavor to provide a peaceful and safe habitat. I hope 'green Olympic' concept can also be embodied in Hol Xil," said Cege.

Since 2006, no instance of illegal poaching was reported in the Hol Xil Nature Reserve.

Cege was honored as "Top 10 Chinese Outstanding Environmental Protection Figures".