The Importance of Bridging Animal Habitats Separated by Roads and Highways

Deer, elk, bears, and many other wild animals often get struck by vehicles while crossing the highway or a stretch of road that happens to be in the path of their migratory trek. Of course some animals like the old joke, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" just want "To get to the other side." It might be that they are searching for water and better grazing ground.

For an animal plowed over by a vehicle it usually means death, but sometimes it means internal or external wounds. People also stand to get hurt. Most of the time hitting an animal won't kill a person or there would be more fatalities on the news claiming so. This is a problem that will likely increase as populations grow and new highways and roads are built.

There are some solutions that have worked in the past, but haven't been done on a large-scale basis. By extensive mapping of wildlife movement and migratory patterns it has in the past and should continue in the present and future been determined what seasons bring greater numbers of animals strolling across roads and highways. Winter and summer months seem to prove greater movement.

The division of habitat separated by roads and highways has led to the answer of creating a means of attaching the division by embankments, fencing, over and underpasses. To get an animal to use the protective crossings would mean placing them near to precise where the animals regularly cross over with the seasons. Tracking how many animals are killed by vehicle in an area is key to the correct placement.

In Florida's Lake County on State Highway 46 the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission built an underpass for black bears. It rises 8 feet high stretching 24 feet side to side. Back in 2002 there were 50 bears using it as a safe passage across.

In Southwestern Wyoming on State Highway 89 there is a system in place that warns drivers of oncoming deer. It consists of sensors, flashing lights and signs. Unfortunately people, caught on video placed in the vicinity, still speed through and hit the animals. Others only slow to a driving speed of 2 to 3 miles and still manage to smack the animals.