In Primorye, in the Land of the Leopard national park, on March 26, the Narvinsky tunnel, built on the Razdolnoye-Khasan highway, was inaugurated as part of a program to preserve the Far Eastern leopard population.

Now the animals living in the Land of the Leopard national park on different sides of the Razdolnoye - Khasan road will be able to cross this busy highway along the top of the Narvinsky pass, while cars will rush through the tunnel.

The opening ceremony of the tunnel was attended by Governor of Primorye Vladimir Miklushevsky, Deputy Chairman of the Government of Russia, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev and Head of the Administration of the President of Russia Sergei Ivanov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the ANO Far Eastern Leopards.

“With the help of the tunnel, on the one hand, we will make life easier for motorists, and on the other hand, since the road passes through the Land of the Leopard National Park, we will give wild animals the opportunity to cross it calmly, walking their historical routes,- said at the opening of the tunnel Sergey Ivanov.-I want to sincerely thank Yuri Petrovich Trutnev, who was at the origins of this project. He, as Minister of Natural Resources, supported him in every possible way. And also to express gratitude to the Governor of the Primorsky Territory, Vladimir Miklushevsky.”

WWF Russia was one of the organizations discussing the environmental component of the development of the Razdolnoye-Khasan highway. The problem was that in connection with the reconstruction of the highway necessary for the economic development of South-Western Primorye, the threat of fragmentation of the last area of ​​habitat for the Far Eastern leopard, the only population in the world at that time numbering only about 30-35 individuals, increased. At the same time, the road cuts off areas of about a thousand square kilometers, or approximately 20-25% of the remaining range of this Red Book species. In the section from the Amba River to the Poima River, the road crossed the Barsovy federal reserve (in 2013, included in the Land of the Leopard national park), and passed along the border of the Kedrovaya Pad reserve.

“Range fragmentation is one of the most serious threats to the last population of the Far Eastern leopard. Behind last years onOn the Razdolnoye-Khasan highway, 3 tigers and . In 2007, on the recommendationWWFRussia, as an experiment, Primavtodor built 3 underground passages under the road surface for wild animals, - speaks Yuri Darman, Director of the Amur branch of WWF Russia, Ph.D., Honored Ecologist of the Russian Federation. - WWF Russia has also prepared proposals for the construction of a tunnel under the Narvinsky Pass and crossing bridges on the Sukhanovsky, Bezverkhovsky and Zanadvorovsky passes. Nobody believed in the reality of these plans, but thanks to the personal support of Sergei Ivanov and , The Narva Tunnel became the first overpass for tigers and leopards over this busy highway. This means that the leopard has a chance that its interests will continue to be taken into account in the infrastructural development of Southwestern Primorye - the most important section of the “China Silk Road”.

In addition to the above-ground viaducts, which should continue the safety system for wild animals when crossing the road, according to WWF Russia, in places of animal crossings it is necessary to install special notices “Beware of wild animals”, limiting the speed of motorists.

See VIDEO: “Opening the Leopard Tunnel.”

Narva tunnel for the benefit of people and leopards
© Yuriy Smityuk

Yuri Darman and Yuri Trutnev at the opening of the Narvinsky Tunnel
© Vasily Solkin WWF Russia

The rarest cats on the planet, the Far Eastern leopards, will no longer be disturbed by cars in Primorye. The first ecological tunnel in Russia, Narvinsky, was opened in the territory where predators live. The work of the builders was accepted by the head of the Presidential Administration Sergei Ivanov.

It is 575 meters long, about ten meters wide and five meters high. The Narvinsky Tunnel cuts through the ridge of a mountain pass along which runs a route connecting Vladivostok with the very south of Primorye - the village of Khasan. Now people have given way to leopards. Wild cats will be able to walk freely through their territory - where cars used to make noise.

This is the first ecological tunnel in Russia. It was built as part of a program to preserve the Far Eastern leopard population. The unique project is supervised by the Head of the Presidential Administration Russian Federation Sergey Ivanov. Today he accepted work from the builders. The tunnel is equipped with the most modern fire and smoke control equipment.

“When they were sweeping the tunnel, dust rose. These rays were refracted, and the fans turned on. They worked – that is, we tested them in practice,” the builders said.

In this place, the road for many years crossed the migration routes of the rarest subspecies of leopards on earth.

“Nine mothers live here, in the vicinity of this tunnel. Nine cat mothers. Finally, they will have the opportunity to calmly cross the hill and not teach their children the rules traffic"- said the director national park"Land of the Leopard" Tatyana Baranovskaya.

National Park“Land of the Leopard” was created in Primorye in 2012 to preserve the rare predator. Security was strengthened, and environmentalists actively fed ungulates - the main food of leopards.

“A few years ago there were thirty leopards. Scientists said that this was the point of no return. But now there are already 80 of them,” said Sergei Ivanov, head of the presidential administration of the Russian Federation.

Scientists were able to obtain accurate data indicating an increase in the leopard population thanks to modern technologies. There have been photo and video traps in the taiga for several years now. These frames are unique material for study.

Already over a cup of tea, environmentalists told Sergei Ivanov about the fate of the leopard, which border guards found wounded in the taiga last year. The animal was caught in a noose and lost three toes on its right paw. The predator, nicknamed "Leo-80m" - based on its number in the register of Far Eastern leopards - has already completed a rehabilitation course.

Today Leo-80m received a new nickname - the border guards suggested calling him Nikolai, because he was found on Nikolaev Day. The spotted predator is now undergoing a medical examination. Based on the results, environmentalists will decide whether to release it into the forest or not.

“New blood is very important for zoos, because it has not been replenished for a long time. And this leopard can become very important for the zoo, even, perhaps, more important than in the wild,” says Elena Shevtsova, deputy director for science of the Earth Nature Reserve leopard."

Today, March 26, the official opening of the tunnel under the Narvinsky Pass in the Khasansky district took place. Now, motorists in the Primorsky Territory will be able to travel to the Khasansky district without interfering with the migration routes of the rarest wild cat on the planet - the Far Eastern leopard, Primorskaya Gazeta reports.

The opening in a solemn atmosphere was carried out by the Governor of the Primorsky Territory, Vladimir Miklushevsky, together with the head of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Far Eastern Leopards ANO Sergei Ivanov and the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to Far East Yuri Trutnev.

The tunnel was a difficult child,” emphasized Vladimir Miklushevsky, Governor of the Primorsky Territory. - There were difficulties during construction, but it’s nice that we overcame them. Now the migration routes of wild animals will be restored. The fact that the rarest cats in the world live in our region places a special responsibility on us to protect them.

The Narvinsky tunnel became a gift to Primorye from the country's president for the Year of Ecology

As the head of the Russian Presidential Administration Sergei Ivanov noted, the construction will be the first ecological tunnel in Russia, created to serve both people and wild animals.

“I’m in a festive mood today,” said Sergei Ivanov. - We have finally opened the first ecological tunnel in Russia, which will serve both people and wild animals. Everything took more than three years, but it is important that we managed to implement everything we planned, and the funding (let me remind you, it was 1 billion 800 million rubles) was not increased. The President declared next year the Year of Ecology, and we will consider the tunnel a gift for it.

Construction of the Narvinsky Tunnel was completed in January 2016. The construction of the first ecological tunnel in the Russian Federation was delayed due to very difficult geological conditions.

Then Rostechnadzor conducted an inspection of the facility, which resulted in a conclusion on the compliance of the facility capital construction requirements of technical regulations, other regulatory legal acts and design documentation.

Let us remind you that the Narvinsky tunnel with a total length of 575 meters was built as part of a program to preserve the population of the Far Eastern leopard. It is in the Khasan region that these rare cats live. The tunnel will lead along different levels highway and leopard migration routes.

In addition, the reconstructed section of the Razdolnoye - Khasan highway in the Narvinsky Pass area is integral part transport corridor "Primorye-2" and borders the state natural biosphere reserve"Kedrovaya Pad" and the national park "Land of the Leopard".

Economy

The Narvinsky road tunnel, which is being built in the Khasansky district, is a unique structure not only for Primorye, but also for the entire Far East. The builders plan to commission the facility on the Razdolnoye-Khasan highway this December. As noted by the first vice-governor of the region, Vasily Usoltsev, the main part of the project has been completed: installation and cladding work awaits the builders.

Today we completed concreting the tunnel under the Narvinsky Pass. The object was quite complex: the passage at the tunnel was carried out along the rock, which during construction was discovered to have increased fracturing. It was necessary to redo the project, as a result of which additional engineering decisions were made. Both designers and builders coped with the task.

In confirmation of these words, the first convoy passed through the Narvinsky tunnel last Friday. Cars loaded with concrete made a test run, covering 575 meters - this is the total length of the tunnel. The first vice-governor was pleased with the results of the test drive:

Today we are starting to provide engineering support for the tunnel - fire protection systems, electricity, etc. Now we have the following task: after we complete the construction work here, all we have to do is make approaches to the tunnel and improve the “face” of the portal. This is what we are doing now. And we plan to complete the remaining work quickly enough,” assured Vasily Usoltsev.

Initially, the construction of the facility was carried out by the Pacific Bridge Construction Company (TMK), but after the story of its bankruptcy, the work was “picked up” by the Primavtodor enterprise.

We united teams, TMK representatives showed their best the best side, the object is delivered ahead of schedule. In the future, we will be able to transfer the specialists who worked here to the construction of the Vladivostok - Nakhodka highway. A huge amount of work awaits them there - to install 28 artificial structures. This is a job for real professionals, says Vasily Usoltsev.

The tunnel is being built in several shifts; In total, the site employs approximately 240 people. In addition to practical tasks, this important facility will help cope with a serious environmental problem.

The tunnel will not only allow residents and guests of Primorye to move around the region more comfortably, but will also help preserve the population of the rarest animal - the Far Eastern leopard, - emphasized the Governor of Primorye Vladimir Miklushevsky.

As noted in the regional administration, in Primorye, constant work is being done to preserve rare cats - the Far Eastern leopard and the Amur tiger. The population of these cat species in the region can be maintained thanks to the creation of specially protected natural areas. There are ten of them in Primorye, with a total area of ​​1.1 million hectares.

According to scientists, the number of leopards in the Primorsky Territory today is about 70 individuals, in the world - about 80. The Narvinsky auto tunnel is located between the Leopardovy nature reserve in the west and the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve in the east. It will delimit the highway and the migration routes of the wild cat, through whose habitat the road now passes.

The road above the tunnel will disappear over time and will be overgrown with grass,” explained Primavtodor Deputy Chief Engineer Andrei Ilyin, “and the animals will be able to safely move along the preserved terrain.

The deputy chief engineer also spoke in detail about the work done and the remaining work of the builders:

We have completed the main work on concreting the walls of the vault and the reverse vault, 90 percent of the first layer of the roadway. No major difficulties are foreseen; we are ahead of schedule,” comments Ilyin. - The main backbone is TMK employees who have worked here before and for such short term We managed to do a lot. The portal sections of the retaining wall of the northern and southern portals have now been completed; time is running installation of technological equipment, that is, laying of cable and wire products. In the near future we will begin installing fire extinguishing systems, then finishing work will begin and a fire protection system will be installed. In addition, we are equipping the tunnel with six reversible fans, visualization and alarm systems.

According to the builders, traffic through the tunnel will open in December this year. After the facility is put into operation, some of the workers will be transferred to the construction of the Vladivostok-Nakhodka highway. The rest will remain to restore the roads of the Khasan region.

Let us remind you that the Narvinsky tunnel with a total length of 575 meters is being built as part of a program to preserve the population of the Far Eastern leopard.

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The first ecological tunnel in Russia successfully restored the migration routes of Far Eastern leopards disrupted by the road. This is evidenced by numerous traces of rare cats on the Narva Pass and data from camera traps in the “Land of the Leopard”, which captured the free movement of the spotted predator on video.

The Narva road tunnel was opened in March 2016. The ecoduct allowed us to significantly reduce the threat to animals crossing the A-189 Razdolnoye – Khasan highway. A vehicle corridor was dug in the hill, and the pass itself was closed to traffic and returned to the full possession of the inhabitants of the Land of the Leopard national park and the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve. People have given way to the Far Eastern leopard, the true owner of these forests, and now the rarest big cats on the planet can once again walk unhindered through their territory.

In addition to the traces of rare predators that Land of the Leopard specialists had previously discovered in the snow, in early February scientists received further confirmation of the use of safe passage by wild cats. Camera traps skillfully installed above the tunnel tracked the movement of one of the spotted predators across the entire pass. It turned out that the female under the number Leo 92F used the migration route familiar to local animals. The video clearly demonstrates how she safely passes through the pass, leaving behind the headlights and the noise of car engines - at the same time as the leopard, cars also came into the frame. Along with the cat hiding in the forest, the threat of another tragedy has passed - the car route and the leopard’s path no longer intersect here.

In addition, after studying the tracks in the snow left above the tunnel by animals, Land of the Leopard experts suggested that in addition to the leopardess Leo 92F, the passage is also used by a male Far Eastern leopard. And for ungulates, crossing the tunnel has already become commonplace. In general, scientists note the prospects of this route, which over time should become for the inhabitants of the national park and reserve one of the main transitions from one part of the specially protected natural area to another.

“The return of the Far Eastern leopard to the Narvinsky Pass is a symbol of a change in people’s attitude towards nature, a shared responsibility for preserving the unique ecosystem of southwestern Primorye,” emphasized Tatyana Baranovskaya, director of the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution. – Nature responded to human care, and there is no doubt that the decision to build an ecoduct in the very heart of the “Land of the Leopard” was correct. The beautiful cat captured by camera traps looks absolutely healthy, this is a female in the prime of her life. It is possible that in the future she will have to take advantage of the safe passage more than once, not alone, but with small kittens, for whom the threat of cars, although not completely disappeared, has decreased significantly.”

It should be noted that the creation of the Narva Tunnel is a reflection of the modern environmental trend aimed at mutually beneficial coexistence of humans and wildlife. Although the tunnel was built primarily to preserve the leopard population, this project significantly improved the lives of motorists. In summer, the road on this pass was very dusty, and traffic jams often formed here. And thanks to the heated roadway, there is no snow here at the entrances to the tunnel. In addition, the facility is under 24-hour security and is also equipped with communication equipment that can be useful in emergency situations.

Information: the highway of regional significance runs in a narrow corridor between the specially protected areas of the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution, dividing in two the last area of ​​habitat for the Far Eastern leopard, the only population in the world of which today numbers about 80 individuals. Tigers have been hit on the road more than once, and in the fall of 2015, the famous leopard Meamur died under the wheels of a car. At the same time, 10 years ago, environmentalists noticed that animals most often cross the road in the area of ​​the Narvinsky Pass. Due to the peculiarities of the local topography, migration routes were formed here, which were often used by both large cats and other inhabitants of these forests. For them, this is a historical path, walking along which is a habit that has formed over hundreds of years. Also, this area has always been distinguished by a high population density of Far Eastern leopards. The length of the tunnel is 575 meters, height – 5, width – 9.25 meters. Construction began in March 2012.