LHASA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has poured 12.7 billion yuan (about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars) on ecological protection over the past decade, authorities said.

In 2021, the forest coverage rate in Tibet reached 12.31 percent, and the comprehensive vegetation coverage of grassland grew to 47.14 percent, Shui Yanping, deputy head of the regional department of ecology and environment, told a press conference Monday.

The population of rare wild animals has also seen restorative growth, according to Shui. The population of the black-necked crane, which is under first-class national protection, has increased from less than 3,000 in 1995 to over 10,000, while the number of Tibetan antelopes has increased to more than 300,000.

Figures show that Tibet remains one of the areas with the best environment globally, with local ecosystems remaining stable and the environment constantly improving, she said.