Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 30: World Animal Protection (WAP) has called on Chinese authorities to take immediate action to mitigate environmental damage and protect local wildlife following a large-scale fireworks display in Tibet’s ecologically sensitive region.
The controversial display art, titled ‘Ascending Dragon’, by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang in collaboration with Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx, owned by Chinese sportswear giant Anta. It took place in Shigatse, at altitudes ranging from 4,500 to 5,500 metres. Organisers had claimed the display used environmentally friendly materials, but experts warn that the loud explosions and bright lights pose serious threats to the region’s delicate ecosystems.
The Animal welfare organisation highlighted the dangers to species including snow leopards, Tibetan antelope, blue sheep, pikas, and local bird populations. “The intense noise, blinding light, and human disturbance caused by the fireworks can trigger severe stress responses, disrupt normal behaviours, and damage fragile habitats,” the organisation said. WAP urged authorities to assess environmental damage, restore vegetation, reduce pollution, and assist any distressed or injured animals.
The spectacle involved 1,050 fireworks units ignited in under a minute, producing choreographed bursts of coloured smoke across Himalayan ridgelines. Conservationists warn such disturbances could lead to habitat abandonment, separation of young animals from their mothers, and long-term harm to already vulnerable species.
The controversy has reached an international audience. In London, a coalition of UK-based Tibetan groups protested outside the White Cube gallery on September 25, which currently hosts Cai’s exhibition. The demonstrators denounced the Tibet fireworks display by Cai as “cultural violence”, emphasising that the mountains are sacred to Tibetans and warning that such events permanently damage high-altitude ecosystems through pollution, wildlife disruption, and accelerated glacial melt.
Local authorities in Tibet have stated that an investigation is underway, dispatching a team to the site. Both Cai Guo-Qiang and Arc’teryx issued apologies after facing global backlash, pledging to cooperate with environmental assessments and remedial measures. However, leaked footage from Tibet shows local residents cleaning up chemical debris left behind, raising questions over the organisers’ promises of professional restoration.
