About 20,000 chirus from the Tibetan plateau are said to be poached each year. This occurs even though the animal is supposed to be protected under various endangered species acts.
Par spīti tam, ka dažādi likumi par apdraudētajām sugām paredz aizsargāt šīs antilopes, Tibetas plakankalnē katru gadu nelikumīgi tiekot nomedīts ap 20 tūkstošiem čiru.