Published : 11/03/2026
In Shenzhen's Futian district, a bridge that spans two mountains has captured international attention after being recognised by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Shenzhen Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 reconnects Meilin Mountain and Yinhu Mountain, which were separated in the 1990s due to urban development.
Nearly three decades later, this bridge not only stitches the landscape back together but also serves as the country's first ecological corridor designed for the "harmonious coexistence of humans and wildlife." Why were the mountains first divided, and how are they now bringing rare species back?
The legend of the wildlife animals' bridge
Shenzhen Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1, connecting Meilin Mountain and Yinhu Mountain, spans across Meiguan Road, a major transport artery on Shenzhen's central axis with a constant stream of traffic. It is a newly built ecological corridor in Shenzhen.
This "animal flyover" has its own legendary story.
In the 1990s, Shenzhen's development required building the Meiguan Expressway (now Meiguan Road), which was carved right through the mountains.
This physically split Meilin Mountain and Yinhu Mountain, severing the connection for wildlife. The animals were suddenly isolated, unable to migrate or find food, which caused significant damage to the natural ecosystem.
By 2022, Shenzhen launched its "integrating the city with mountains and seas" programme. Following a national land and spatial planning assessment, city planners identified this ecological gap and decided to build a bridge to stitch the two mountains back together.
Building an arch bridge over a busy highway is not easy. It is necessary to consider how to carry out the construction project without affecting road traffic and the mountain's structure.
Considering the habitat requirements of local wildlife, the team enlisted an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering to optimise the design.
They pioneered a prefabricated construction approach, assembling the bridge like building blocks. This innovation significantly reduced steel usage and created the nation's first long-span prefabricated ecological corridor, —featuring a "concrete-filled steel tube composite arch rib and composite deck" structure.
On 30 December 2023, "Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1" was officially completed. After 28 years, the two great mountains were finally reunited.
Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1: 90% Restored to replicate wild mountain forest
The most striking feature of Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 is the ecological space meticulously designed for wild animals.
Only ten percent of the bridge's surface is designated for pedestrians, paved with red bricks. The remaining ninety percent restores the natural ecosystem, closely mimicking the original mountain forest environment.
The team behind the bridge implemented a "mist forest system" to replicate the temperature and humidity conditions of a mountain forest.
This has enabled the successful cultivation of over 80 species of native plants, along with bird-attracting and nectar-rich species.
Together, they form three major natural ecosystems: evergreen broad-leaved forest, shrub-grass clusters, and ponds and wetlands.
Considering that leopard cats like to hide under rocks, the designers deliberately placed some rocks on Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1.
They also planted a variety of aromatic plants and berry-producing species that small wild animals like to eat. In addition, stone channels were installed to make it easier for birds to move around.
To prevent the public from entering this primeval mountain forest space, a soft barrier created from plants was designed on the bridge. This clearly separates the animal corridor from the pedestrian walkway while ensuring that the wildlife habitats remain undisturbed.
Unlike other bridges with bright lighting systems at night, Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 does not. In the evenings, the bridge strictly operates in "animal dark night protection mode," relying on low-level lighting to minimise disturbance to the nocturnal activities of wildlife across the two mountains.
For monitoring purposes, the bridge has been equipped with a multi-dimensional smart monitoring system that operates around the clock.
It tracks the bridge structure, pedestrian movement, animal activity, and climate conditions, allowing the team to make timely optimizations and adjustments to ensure the bridge's safety.
Kunpeng Trail No.1 Bridge successfully captures footage of leopard cats and other wild animals
These efforts quickly paid off.
Just 23 days after Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 was completed, the infrared cameras captured the first image of a leopard cat—a Class II state-protected species.
In the footage, this beautifully marked creature ambles across the bridge, leisurely enjoying the "secret garden" that human had built for it.
Since then, infrared cameras have captured wildlife on the move hundreds of times: a mother wild boar cautiously leading her piglets across the bridge, monkeys playing on the structure, and various birds resting and foraging in the bushes.
As of 2025, more than 240 animal crossings have been recorded, and the restored ecological vegetation at the once-divided site has reached 2.2 hectares.
Today, Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 has not only repaired the ecological disconnection but has also enabled connectivity among the "Five Parks" of Shenzhen's "Mountains and Seas Linking the City" plan—Meilin Mountain, Yinhu Mountain, Bijiashan, Lianhua Hill, and Centre Park—linking vibrant business districts with thriving communities.
Kunpeng Trail Bridges No.1 to 3 Open in Succession as Shenzhen Actively Builds a Liveable City
After Kunpeng Trail Bridge No.1 was completed in 2023, Bridges No. 2 and No. 3 followed in 2025.
These new crossings now closely connect Yinhu Mountain Country Park with Honggang Park and other green spaces, breaking down the long-standing ecological barriers created by transport routes such as Yuping Avenue and the Baogang Interchange.
Through these efforts, Shenzhen is actively repairing the ecological fragmentation left behind by urban development—making the city more "livable, business-friendly, and tourist-friendly."
Read more: Rebirth of Przewalski's Horse, world's only extant wild horse species