The antelope has been hunted down specifically for its fur, and their numbers have dropped accordingly from nearly a million (estimated) at the turn of the 20th century to fewer than 75,000 by its end. This led to the antelope now being listed as an endangered species and given the highest possible level of legal protection, whereby no commercial trade in shahtoosh is permitted. Since the start of the 21st century, strong conservation efforts, especially in China, have resulted in significant population recovery, with an estimated 150,000 living by 2010. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature now classifies the antelope as "Near Threatened".