Wildlife Bridges a Win for Animals and Humans Alike

Traffic collisions with wildlife end badly for everyone. The mammals are generally killed and, even if the passengers survive, the property damage is nevertheless very expensive. Animals that don’t risk the crossing can be isolated from others of their species, reducing their opportunity to breed. But wildlife bridges and underpasses have been enormously successful. Banff, in Alberta, is one such success story: in just one two-mile stretch, reduced wildlife-vehicle crashes saved over $100,000 in one year. These results, and the cost savings of building the structures into new highways rather than retro-fitting, mean the programs pay for themselves over time.

• How wildlife bridges over highways make animals—and people—safer