Posted on 12/06/2020 6:49:23 AM PST by Eddie01
A video posted on Facebook in mid-November shows the outstanding success of the i-80 wildlife overpass in Utah, where you can watch elk, moose, small mammals, black bears, coyotes, and even what appears to be a porcupine safely cross a dangerous stretch of road.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources: For wildlife researchers, it demonstrates that the time it takes for animals to adapt to using wildlife overpasses may be years shorter than first anticipated.
“From what we can tell, the number of accidents there is down dramatically. At least initially, it appears the investment in safety is paying off,” Utah DoT spokesman John Gleason told the Salt Lake Tribune in 2019. “And we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it, so this is great.”
Completed in 2018 by Utah’s Dep. of Transportation and costing $5 million, the wildlife overpass was lobbied for by a group called Save People Save Animals, after a particular stretch of i-80 was unfortunately dubbed “Slaughter Row” due to the large number of traffic collisions with crossing wildlife.
The bridge incorporates miles of fencing in both directions on both sides of the road, funneling mammals to the bridge which is covered in soil, boulders, and logs to make it feel like a natural environment.
Not only are the animals using it instead of crossing the highway further down the corridor, but they are treating it like their natural habitat. A cougar was recorded scratching and stretching on one of the logs, which it wouldn’t do in a stressed state.
Collisions with cars are a real danger to millions of animals, but even 15 years ago, there were already more than 700 terrestrial and aquatic wildlife crossing points in North America, with more and more being built every year, including the largest in the world to help California’s isolated mountain lion populations, which is to be completed in 2021.
They really need a super highway?? Could have saved a lot of money. Put a salt lick....they will come!!
Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.
Moose? In Utah?! Are they native or brought in? Some decades ago I was surprised by Elk in New Mexico. But moose in Utah? Really surprising.
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFCrJleggrI
Do they have designated spots for tree stands?
Years ago the government installed a fence on both sides of the only road into Fort Irwin, CA. It is about 35 miles long and the fence is only 18” tall. It was required to keep the Desert Tortoise from getting squashed on the two-lane road.
Good place for a tree stand! ;)
LOL. What a maroon.
lol... I was actually thinkin “Fascinating”!! lol...
Yea it works good for the animals needing food also. The mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, bears, and other carnivorous beats just need to sit near by and they will feats like never before as the fence heads their food right into the trap.
In the video we see on cat walking by with. probably that rodent we saw scrambling over the bridge.
It’s lunch time.
That does look to be one might expensive project. But I can think of a place near me that is sickeningly strewn with deer carcasses. TPTB don't clear them away nowadays.
Very clever. What html sequence did you use to post the pic with the background link?
There was a moose reported in New Mexico a few years back in the northern part of the state.
The deputies say it you hit one it can scrape the entire roof, posts and all, off your vehicle. I've been lobbying for more harvest.
I especially like the suicide barrier fence they put up to make sure the stressed-out animals wouldn’t end it all by jumping.
Just kidding...nice. I liked the kitty scratching his claws on the log.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64326445/520960.0.jpg)
I’m actually for these - as long as enviro-commies don’t turn them into some type of green-Nazi checkpoints... or something like that.
” A cougar was recorded scratching and stretching on one of the logs,” Didn’t look like a cougar to me. Unless they saw some video I didn’t. Stubby tail does not = cougar.
Haha, Nice place to set up a tree stand on either side...
Sounds like a good place for an easy meal for one of the higher predators.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.