7/5/2023 0 Comments Railway underpassTibetan Antelopes’ migration is especially unique because it is closely linked to their reproductive cycle. The prolonged journey can have severe effects on the animals’ overall fitness, or health. Travelling to the Wubei underpass detours the antelope 86.19 kilometers, or 53.56 miles, off their preferred course. Scientists observed the antelope approaching the fence and then following it along until they reached the Wubei wildlife underpass. In other words, the antelope were traveling from one site to the other on a route that required the least amount of energy until they approached the QTR.īy fencing the railway, the antelope were forced to only cross at underpasses. The data revealed that antelope were taking the most direct routes,but made gradual detours to use the underpass. Since no data had been collected prior to the railway’s construction, the scientists had to create a model based on satellite tracking data they collected. In order to find out, the scientists first needed to learn about the antelope’s travel routes. While underpasses allows for wildlife to cross under the railway, the scientists wanted to know if the underpasses prolongs the journey. The QTR runs down the middle of these two reserves, cutting the antelope off from getting from one site to the next. The antelope migrate from their winter sites in the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve to their shared calving, or birthing, site in the Hoh-Xil Nature Reserve every year. The Tibetan antelope is an iconic species to the area. In a paper published on Plos One, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) scientists, along with Rakuno Gakuen University in Japan, were the first to look at the Tibetan antelope’s migration patterns using scientific data from GPS tracking collars. However, its limited accessibility has left many of the species living there understudied. The region that the railway passes through is filled with a diverse array of wild animals. The engineering of the railway was challenging, though, because of the high altitude and permafrost covered land. This railway is also the first in China to incorporate wildlife crossings into its design. Please see this construction notice for further information on the work, site access, parking and impacted activities.In a rural area of west China, the highest railroad on earth transports visitors from Qinghai to Tibet (QTR). Parks Canada and TRCA have assured that they will attempt to keep the Waterfront Trail open during this period. Please see Metrolinx’s construction notice for more information.Ĭoncurrent with the bridge remediation work above, Parks Canada and the Toronto Region and Conservation Authority (TRCA) are completing urgent shoreline remediation in the area of Rouge Beach May 24 through Jduring which time the Rouge Beach will be closed. The Trail (which travels beneath the bridge) will remain open to pedestrians, though cyclists will need to dismount their bikes and walk through the affected area. Work on the bridge is ongoing with an estimated completion of July, 2022, including a number of overnights and weekends. The Rouge Beach is also receiving some remediation work, closing Rouge Beach May 24-June 17. Metrolinx is rehabilitating the railway bridge over the Rouge River, extending the life-cycle of the bridge by a further 20 years.
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