The northern plateau around Nagqu holds some of the greatest concentrations of large mammals remaining in Asia. Nagqu prefecture falls within or borders the Chang Tang National Nature Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in the world, where Tibetan antelope (chiru), Tibetan gazelle, kiang (wild ass), Tibetan wild yak, and snow leopard all survive in populations that would have been considered remarkable even before the reserve's creation in 1993.
The most accessible wildlife viewing is simply along the G109 highway north of Nagqu town toward Tuotuohe — the roadside grasslands often hold kiang in groups of a dozen or more, and Tibetan gazelle are sometimes visible from the train window. The larger aggregations of chiru — tens of thousands on their calving migration in summer — require a dedicated expedition into the reserve itself, which needs special permits and a properly equipped vehicle. Wildlife guides in Nagqu can arrange this for serious visitors.