Two fugitives were arrested 11 years after they, along with four accomplices, slaughtered more than 500 endangered Tibetan antelopes in a nature reserve in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

A spokesperson with the provincial public security department told Xinhua that one suspect was caught in late March by Yushu Prefecture forest police and the other earlier this month, after the police "made breakthroughs" in March.

In July 2005, the six-member gang, driving two SUVs and armed with two guns and more than 2,500 bullets, sneaked into Hol Xil Nature Reserve and went on a rampage, said the spokesperson.

Three people were jailed and the others remained at large until this latest development.

This year, the police scoured Qinghai, Tibet and Gansu regions for the suspects. One suspect, identified by his surname Han, was found in Huangzhong County on March 31 and the other, surnamed Wang, in Haixi prefecture on June 12.

The pair confessed to killing the endangered animals. The investigation continues.

The number of Tibetan antelopes in Hol Xil Nature Reserve has shrunk to less than 20,000 due to rampant poaching since 1980s. Due to anti-poaching efforts, the population has grown to about 70,000 and no killings have been reported for 10 consecutive years in the reserve.

source : xinhua