As the annual summer livestock transfer starts in Manas, a county in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, local authorities carried out infrastructure overhaul across rugged mountain passes to secure the safe passage of about 190,000 livestock.
The massive seasonal movement in Manas involves moving cattle and sheep from spring pastures to cooler, high-altitude summer grazing grounds. Following centuries of pastoral tradition, herdsmen there would spend two days driving their livestock to reach pastures more than 80 kilometers away.
The local authorities have repaired mountain trails, installed safety barriers, and cleared hazards to fully secure the herders' summer migration.
"Last year's floods damaged the bridge and some roads. The government has since repaired them, restoring safe passage," said Hezat Humarebek, a local herdsman from Tuanzhuang Village.
Situated at the northern foothills of the central Tianshan Mountains, Manas is ideal for the development of animal husbandry thanks to its favorable climate.
However, heavy spring rains, flash floods, and rockfalls frequently damage the transfer routes, creating severe hazards. Deep potholes, collapsed trail beds, and dislodged boulders regularly block the paths, slowing the migration and risking injury or loss of livestock.
In response, local government agencies have deployed heavy machinery ahead of the migration to clear debris, reinforce unstable slopes, dredge mountain drainage ditches, and install safety barriers.
Rugged mountain passes repaired to secure summer livestock transfer in northwest China
