The importance of wildlife corridors
Wildlife corridors, also known as wildlife crossing structures, animal bridges, ecobridges and ecocorridors, allow animals safer passage over or under busy roadways as they migrate looking for food, opportunities to mate, and places to forage in an increasingly developed landscape that encroaches on their habitat.
Here we're compiling some of the best efforts in the United States to make wildlife corridors the norm rather than the exception—with the introduction of the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, one of the boldest and most inspiring prospects for a future flourishing with wildlife. This fact sheet from Wildlands Network (PDF) does a great job covering the highlights and illustrating why the act is so important.
Why we need wildlife corridors—now!
We have pedestrian crossings. Why not wildlife crossings? How on earth was this young fawn supposed to know how to cross a busy road where cars go an average of 10-15 miles above the speed limit?
Wildlife crossings in the US
If you're wondering if wildlife bridges really work, here you'll find plenty of evidence from all over the country where departments of transportation have partnered with conservationists and environmental organizations to come up with wildlife crossing structures such as animal overpasses and underpasses that support and protect habitat and save lives—of wildlife and humans. From squirrels to salamanders to salmon and Spanish lynx. Find out more about how wildlife crossings in the US are making a difference for people and animals.
"We spend $8 billion a year running over wildlife. If we took that cost and quartered it, we could build 200 animal crossings a year, and the problem of roadkill would disappear within a generation." - Ted Zoli, Bridge Engineer and Macarthur Fellow
|
Header image courtesy of: Jeffrey Beall
|
