While China applauds the new Qinghai-Tibet railway for its
environmentally-friendly construction, a leading Chinese scientist
says that more time will be needed to evaluate the impact brought
by the line after some good signs have been seen.
According to Wednesday's Science Times, Dr. Yang Qisen of
the Institute of Zoology with the Chinese Academy of Sciences,
points out that it is inevitable the railway, which crosses three
national nature reserves, will affect the activities of wild
animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the passages specially
designed for animals to cross the tracks are "compensation" for the
line's impact.
He said that the plateau has the most fragile ecosystem and the
most unique biodiversity in China, even in the world. The Tibetan
antelope, the Tibetan wild ass and the wild yak are just three of
the wild animals that roam the region. These animals often make
long-distance trips to collect food and water, breeding and give
birth to baby animals.
In order to lessen the negative effect of the railway on the
animals, the Institute of Zoology has designed 33 passages for wild
animals to cross the railway and has monitored them for the last
three years.
"The passage is a last resort in wild animal protection - it is
compensatory measure granted by humans to animals," Yang said.
Investigations have showed that the antelope and other wild
animals are gradually adapting to the new environment by using the
passages.
A monitoring system targeting the passages became operational
during the construction of the railway. "Compared with similar
monitoring systems in foreign countries, we have had a very good
beginning," Yang said.
However, he added, "It is still too early to judge whether the
passages are successful or not."
The evaluation of the effectiveness of wild animal passages is
not mature even in some developed countries. In the United States,
only 60% passages are covered by monitoring systems, according to
Yang.
"It will take five to ten years of the railway being in
operation to make the necessary conclusions," Yang said.
The 1,956-kilometer-long Qinghai-Tibet railway is the world's
highest and longest plateau railroad and also the first railway
connecting the Tibet Autonomous Region with other parts of
China.
(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2006)