Every summer, tens of thousands of Tibetan antelopes cross the vast highlands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in western China on one of the world's most remarkable wildlife migrations. For two decades, they have shared that landscape with another landmark of the plateau: the Qinghai-Xizang Railway.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the railway's full operation, CGTN Radio launched a global social media initiative titled "Our Shared Path", inviting people to record short readings and messages inspired by the antelopes' annual journey. Hundreds of participants from 27 countries and regions contributed their voices, which were woven into a public service announcement celebrating the relationship between people, infrastructure and nature.
The announcement follows the antelopes after calving, as mothers lead their newborns across the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and back toward their original grounds from the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, one of China's most important high-altitude wildlife habitats.
The Qinghai-Xizang Railway, which began full operation on July 1, 2006, stretches nearly 2,000 kilometers between Xining, Qinghai Province and Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region. Crossing mountains, permafrost and some of the world's highest railway terrain, it is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious railway projects ever built at high altitude.
Over the past two decades, the railway has become a vital transportation link across the plateau. Official data show that it has handled more than 41 million passenger trips and transported over 100 million tonnes of goods, improving connectivity and boosting the region’s economy.
Yet alongside its role in connecting communities, the railway has also become part of a less familiar story — the annual migration of Tibetan antelopes.
Each year, from May to July, female antelopes travel hundreds of kilometers to their traditional breeding grounds in the heart of Hoh Xil before returning with their young later in the summer. Part of that migration route intersects with the railway.
To reduce the impact on wildlife, engineers incorporated 33 dedicated wildlife crossings along the route, with a combined length of more than 58 kilometers. Many were designed as elevated bridges, allowing antelope herds and other animals to move beneath the tracks during migration season.
According to long-term monitoring data, the crossings are now routinely used by migrating antelopes, with utilization rates reaching 100 percent in recent years. The structures have become a widely cited example of how large-scale infrastructure can be designed with wildlife movement in mind.
The story of the Tibetan antelope is also one of recovery. Once driven close to extinction by illegal hunting, the species has rebounded through decades of conservation efforts. Today, the population is estimated at more than 300,000.
Twenty years after the railway entered service, the migration continues across the plateau much as it has for generations. Some antelopes pass over the landscape alongside the tracks, while others move quietly beneath them. Together, they offer a reminder that development and conservation do not always have to move in opposite directions.
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Country: China
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