Experts expect wildlife use of the overcrossing to increase in the years ahead as revegetation work moves forward, and animals become more used to the bridge as part of their seasonal migration routes. This project is unique because its target users are butterflies, birds and insects, in particular, the Quino checkerspot butterfly, a federally listed endangered species. In 2019, dozens of animals were documented using the structure, including coyotes, deer, hares and raccoons. Chances of humans getting hurt in animal-related car collisions also pose a danger. The 6 million overpass was built by the Riverside County Transportation Commission and is the most recent animal overpass constructed in Southern California. An article, posted by the National Geographic, claims “studies that looked at a cross-section of native species’ deaths on highways in Florida, bandicoots and wallabies in Australia, and jaguars in Mexico, just to name a few, all show that wildlife crossings save money and lives, both human and animal.” When animals try and cross car-infested highways, chances of them getting hit are extremely high. Having these wildlife bridges over highways is something that benefits both animals and people. Within the first several months of her study, she documented hundreds of crossings. More than $13.5 in private funding has already been raised and 20% of the bridge cost will be allocated from public funds.Īccording to Huffpost, the $87 million bridge entered its final design stage last month and, if everything stays on track, should be completed by 2023 Engineer Sheik Moinuddin, project manager with the California Department of Transportation confirms this projection. As National Geographic reports, wildlife overpasses caught on in Europe starting in the 1950s, and have been spreading around the world since. A wide variety of animals were using the overpass, often without hesitation. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) just released an environmental assessment for the project, called the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing. “Localized extinction happens when populations can’t find each other, and if they don’t have genetic variability, they will blink out-especially low-mobility species in old-growth ,” Patty Garvey-Darda, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Hoping to prevent the extinction of mountain lions, coyotes, deer, lizards, snakes, and other species that require room to roam, Southern California transportation officials will be building a wildlife crossing over the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |