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For humans, road systems are essential, taking us everywhere we need to go. But for the critters we share the Earth with, they can be disruptive and dangerous.
In the United States alone, it’s estimated that vehicle-animal collisions cost $8 billion a year
That’s why conservationists around the world have come up with the idea of wildlife bridges.
In the U.S.A. alone, it’s estimated that vehicle-animal collisions cost $8 billion a year. With over one-fifth of the country’s ecology affected by road systems, there are lots of opportunities for collisions with an animal, or accidents caused by swerving to avoid an animal.
People have crosswalks to let them get across roads safely, so why not animals? If you’re thinking it might be hard to train the wildlife to obey traffic signals, you may be right.
The solution is clear: let them cross any time, safely, in a place where there is no human traffic.
It seems like a pretty simple idea
And since they can’t go through it, they need to go over or under the road. It seems like a pretty simple idea — obvious, even — but passages to allow animals to travel safely over and under busy roadways are revolutionizing the interaction between humans and wildlife along roadways.
After installing them in Banff National Park in Canada, the number of incidents involving cars and creatures dropped over 80%, and other areas have reported up to a 90% decrease in roadkill collisions.
