Qinghai: Life at the Third Pole

By Haiyi Ma and Guangliang Hou

At the heart of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau lies Qinghai--a 720,000 km highland province where altitude defies expectation. Here, at an average elevation exceeding 4,000 m, life is sculpted by extremes: oxygen is thin, winters plunge below -40 C, yet the landscape pulses with an astonishing concentration of life and legacy.

Qinghai: Life at the Third Pole offers the first comprehensive English-language portrait of a region that is both cradle and guardian. The book follows glacial melt from Geladandong to the Yangtze River, traces Tibetan antelope across the wilderness of Kekexili, and explores the wetlands at the source of the Yellow River. It presents Qinghai as both a biological sanctuary, home to snow leopards and black-necked cranes, and a cultural landscape shaped by Tibetan pastoralists and Regong artists.

Meticulously researched and richly illustrated with over 300 original photographs, this book bridges deep time with the present. It examines the plateau's formation, documents its unique biodiversity, and highlights contemporary conservation efforts, including protected areas, community stewardship, and clean energy initiatives. An essential multidisciplinary resource for academic and research library collections supporting Earth science, geography, ecology, anthropology, environmental studies, Asian studies, climate change research, and nature photography.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1487814097
• ISBN13: 9781487814090
• Release Date: December 2026
• Publisher: Royal Collins Publishing Company
• Length: 384 Pages