BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- It's May, the calving migration season for Tibetan antelopes. As herds of mothers-to-be make their way across the Qinghai-Xizang Highway in western China, researcher Lian Xinming is watching, not from grasslands, but from in front of a computer screen.

An aerial view of the Sanjiangyuan National Park in Yushu, northwest China's Qinghai Province, October 12, 2022. (File photo: CFP)

Lian, with the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been tracking the antelopes' migration for 24 years. He used to patrol along the Qinghai-Xizang Highway, waiting for Tibetan antelopes to get near. Now, with a few clicks of a mouse, he can monitor the migration in real time.

This transformation comes courtesy of an intelligent monitoring platform. By using artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately identify migrating antelopes and other wildlife sharing the habitat, the platform helps lower the risk of vehicle-animal collisions.

In late April, Lian's team deployed 11 high-definition monitoring cameras along the Wudaoliang section of the highway, a key crossing point on the antelope migration route. These cameras now provide complete coverage of the corridor.

Before the platform was introduced, members of the Wudaoliang protection station had to be present around the clock during migration period from May to August, handling herd observation, traffic control and data recording all at once. "The platform has now taken over much of that workload, making antelope migration protection more scientific and efficient," said Lian.

Wudaoliang sits within the Sanjiangyuan National Park, one of China's first batch of national parks established in 2021. The other four parks in this batch are the Giant Panda National Park, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, and the Wuyishan National Park.

Together, these first national parks cover a protected land area of 230,000 square kilometers and are home to nearly 30 percent of the country's key terrestrial wildlife species. Today, these national parks are increasingly turning to advanced technologies and enhanced monitoring to better protect biodiversity.

In the Chengdu area of the Giant Panda National Park in southwest China, intelligent infrared cameras have been installed to help monitor giant pandas and other wild animals, using wireless network technology to transmit images in real time. This reduces human disturbance to such wildlife habitats and allows monitoring staff to obtain the latest image data promptly, said Jiang Dongze, an information manager with the national park.

The park has also pioneered the use of "panda face recognition" technology to achieve the wireless transmission of images and videos in real-time and compiled "DNA ID cards" for giant pandas.

The Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in south China, meanwhile, has teamed up with research institutions to focus on saving the critically endangered Hainan gibbon, protecting its habitat and conserving other key species in the rainforest.

In east China's Fujian Province, the Wuyishan National Park has put a smart management platform into use, providing scientific monitoring of visitor movements, the ecological environment, and forest fire risks.

Beyond empowering ecological protection, digital technologies are also helping national parks explore diverse paths for public engagement and nature education.

At the Hunchun Nature Science Pavilion in Jilin Province in northeast China, an electronic sand table showcases the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park's "sky-ground-space integrated monitoring system," a network of infrared cameras, satellites and drones beaming real-time wildlife footage.

Visitors there are often captivated by scenes like tigers dozing off or guiding their cubs through mountains. "Although visitors can't see tigers directly, they can gain a deeper understanding of the significance and achievements of national parks through the display of latest ecological conservation technologies," said Tang Yunsong, a staff member at the pavilion, adding that many students go there for study trips.

National parks encompass the most vital parts of China's natural ecosystems -- marked by unique landscapes, exceptional natural heritage and unparalleled biodiversity. The country has been steadily advancing the high-quality construction and monitoring of its national parks.

China's national park law took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, setting "advancing ecological civilization" as a legislative objective, explicitly prioritizing ecological protection while balancing conservation and development.

In this year's government work report, China vowed to integrate and optimize protected areas, while continuing to develop national parks.

Sun Hongyan, an official with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said that efforts will be made to further strengthen systematic governance and implement the optimization plan for nature reserves.

Meanwhile, major projects for integrated ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation will be launched, Sun added.