Capital to be neighborly with wildlife

Plan will ease problems of human encroachment in scenic spaces

Migration paths will be established for boars, squirrels, wild ducks and rabbits at 27 sites, including Badaling National Forest Park, Shisanling reservoir and Mutianyu Great Wall area.

The paths will provide areas of seclusion where the animals will be able to roam freely, and will use existing vegetation or structures, such as bridge archways and culverts.

The initiative is meant to make sure that wildlife can safely search for food and water away from urban areas, said Zhang Yahong, director of parks and attractions for the Beijing Landscape and Forestry Bureau.

"Human activity seriously affects the reproduction and migration of wild animals in the metropolis," Zhang said. "We must guarantee the living environment of the animals when we have to share the same space with them."

Zhang said the sites would also have signs to remind tourists to avoid areas reserved for wild animals.

Beijing set up the first reserved area for animals in 2008 in the Olympic Forest Park.

This has provided a secluded area for hundreds of small animals and insects, said Wang Jun, director of engineering at the park.

Wang Yaqin, who lives in Chaoyang district, often takes a morning stroll in the park. She once saw a pheasant on the overpass.

"It's good to see humans and animals living in peace," she said.

Wang Minzhong, director of the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, said the areas will encourage humans to appreciate the animals.

Animals need seclusion when foraging for food and water, Wang said.

"The animals dare not move when humans are nearby," he said. "It's an innovative attempt to set up areas exclusively for animals in scenic spots in the metropolis."

According to Wang, areas in the capital play host to wild boars, deer, weasels, hares and snakes.

However, as more space is developed, people are increasingly encroaching, he said. Vehicles, especially on mountain roads, are a constant danger to animals, Wang said.

The best way to take care of our wild animal friends is to leave them alone, he said.