Why did the chicken cross the road? And HOW did it avoid getting run over?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Everyone loves the idea of wildlife bridges to get critters safely past highways. But if you build it, will they ACTUALLY come?
Russell Stewart and team from Rochester Institute of Technology wanted to SPAN this knowledge gap!
They collected studies looking at the wildlife crossing bridges of the Trans-Canada highway. Believe it or not, animals have their crossing preferences! Elk prefer wide, open bridges because they are claustrophobic. Bears – on the other paw – prefer narrow, covered structures. And our small furry friends? They like their paths extra green, but they don’t mind seeing cars whiz by!
Since being built, the bridges have reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions by eighty percent! This study shows how important it is to consider diverse wildlife needs when building these structures.
And I thought I was picky about traveling first class! These beasties are more hifalutin than we think!
Reference: Stewart, L., Russell, B., Zelig, E., Patel, G., & Whitney, K. S. (2020). Wildlife crossing design influences effectiveness for small and large mammals in Banff National Park. Case Studies in the Environment, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1525/cse.2020.1231752