North Carolina Department of Transportation Finds Away to Keep Wildlife Off the Road
October 15, 2007
Photo from Knox News
No matter where you travel these days there seems to be a common theme of how to avoid wildlife and motor vehicle collisions. When NCDOT planned to build a bigger and better highway 64 right through the heart of some important wildlife habitat concerns were raised about the impact on the wildlife. DOT put in 3 wildlife underpasses in to allow the critters the ability to still travel like they always had without having to get on to the road surface. As part of the plan biologists and graduate students from the University of Tennessee did a before study as well as a study after the animals had time to adjust.
For the past year researchers have been monitoring the underpasses with infrared cameras and clean-swept patches of sand, called track pads that record the animals’ footprints.
They documented almost two-dozen wildlife species — everything from feral pigs to bobcat and beaver — using the three underpasses.
Whitetailed deer were far and away the most common species, with 3,183 records of them going through the underpasses.
Raccoons were another frequent user with 233 visits recorded over the year.
There were 14 records of black bears using the underpasses. As researchers expected, the bears used the two underpasses at either end of the study area, while deer preferred the underpass in the middle.
“The bears used the two underpasses that followed wooded corridors, van Manen said. “The middle underpass leads to agricultural areas, so it makes sense deer would use it more.”
The study already has underscored the role the underpasses play in preventing wildlife-vehicle collisions, especially in terms of whitetailed deer.
“When you look at the number of deer crossing through the underpasses, that’s literally thousands not going on the road,” van Manen said. “Human safety is an important aspect to these underpasses.”
UT researchers also are analyzing DNA samples from hair collected on barbed-wire hair traps to see if habitat fragmentation created by the highway results in smaller, more isolated populations that could lead to inbreeding.
By the time the project ends next year, it will have lasted eight years and involved four students and more than a dozen technicians.
It would appear that the underpasses work so maybe we’ll see more of these across the country. Reducing accidents with wildlife is a good thing for everyone considering the cost in human life and property as well as the loss of the wildlife.
Moose Droppings is a place that chronicles my journey, Ill explore new places and ideas Ill learn new things and Ill teach the things Ive learned to others. Join me on the adventure and hopefully it will help you in your outdoor endeavors.
This is a great story of what people can do when they actually take some time and think!
I travel into that area every year when I go Tundra Swan hunting I may have to try to check one of these out. Creswell is the nearest town to where we hunt. They have a all kinds of game in the area including some very large bears as well as the Feds have attempted to reintroduce the wolf there as well. This is the also the area where the Navy was attempting to build the OLF. A very pretty part of the state rich in wildlife.
-Moose-