Understanding the change in the habitat distributions and abundance of wildlife in space and time is critical for the conservation of biodiversity and mitigate human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs). Tibetan antelope or chiru (Pantholops hodgsonii), Tibetan gazelle or goa (Procapra picticaudata), Tibetan wild ass or kiang (Equus kiang), and Wild yak (Bos mutus) have been sympatric on the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau (QTP) for numerous generations. However, reviews on the habitat distributions and abundance of these four wild herbivores (WHs), as well as the methods examining the changes in these aspects, are still lacking. Here, we firstly review the distributions and abundance of four major WHs on the QTP across different periods, examining the underlying causes of changes and HWCs. Furthermore, we critically compare three aspects of methods: transect surveys, machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) methods of studying WHs. The results show that since the 1990s, the distributions and abundance of WHs have exhibited a trend of initial decline followed by recovery, largely attributed to global climate warming and a decrease in illegal hunting. However, in recent years, the primary challenge has shifted from wildlife protection to balancing the human and wildlife interests within the constraints of limited resources. In the future, we should focus on enhancing the ecological functions of habitats to achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, as well as establishing a scientific compensation mechanism to mitigate human–wildlife conflicts. In order to accurately calculate the changes, we should select appropriate models to analyze the habitats of wildlife based on their specific characteristics and the environmental conditions. Additionally, with the advancement of large models, AI (artificial intelligence) should be utilized for precise and rapid wildlife conservation. The findings of this study also provide guidance and reference for addressing the issues related to wildlife habitats and abundance in other regions globally.

As a typical representative of the herbivorous wild animals in Chang Tang Plateau, the number of Tibetan wild asses has increased significantly in recent years. Clarifying the distribution, population, and size of its habitats is conducive to formulating the protection plan for wild animals and managing the conflict between people and wild animals in Chang Tang Plateau. Based on the distribution probability of Tibetan wild ass habitats and environmental factors, the number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau was calculated by using the belt transect method and random forest model, and due to the uncertainty of the calculations, the results were corrected and analyzed. The results show that the living environment of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau is at 4400–4600 m above sea level, 350–400 m away from the river, and the average temperature in the warmest season is 10–12 °C. The vegetation types of habitats are generally temperate tufted dwarf grass, dwarf semi shrub desert grassland, alpine grass, Carex grassland, alpine cushion dwarf semi shrub desert, among others. On the basis of studying the environmental preferences of Tibetan wild asses, the random forest model was corrected by using the data of the second scientific survey sample line of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for three years. The approximate number of Tibetan wild asses in each of the different areas of Gaize County was obtained. The number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize Town, Xianqian Township, Gumu Township, Chabu Township, Mami Township, Wuma Township and Dongcuo Township is 855, 3458, 2358, 1453, 743, 943 and 647, respectively. By studying the environmental preferences of Tibetan wild asses and analyzing the results of the belt transect survey, the random forest model can accurately estimate the number of Tibetan wild asses in Gaize County of Chang Tang Plateau.