The recent capture and euthanization of Los Angeles’ well-known mountain lion P-22, whose numerous injuries were likely the result of being hit by a car, has highlighted the need for safe wildlife crossings in cities and other high-traffic areas.
The recent capture and euthanization of Los Angeles’ well-known mountain lion P-22, whose numerous injuries were likely the result of being hit by a car, has highlighted the need for safe wildlife crossings in cities and other high-traffic areas.
Wildlife bridges and tunnels not only protect animals from vehicle collisions but help to prevent inbreeding among small and vulnerable populations hemmed in by roadways and other human development by connecting them with a wider pool of potential mates.
But whether animals feel safe using these crossings is another story, say UCLA researchers and colleagues who studied the reactions of deer and elk around a wildlife tunnel beneath a four-lane highway.
Their study, published in the journal PLOS One, shows that these animals were less likely to use the undercrossing after they had displayed a “vigilant,” or fear-based, response to passing vehicles on the road over the crossing.
Read More: University of California - Los Angeles
Two elk stand near a roadway in the Rocky Mountains. (Photo Credit: Kent Kanouse/Flickr)
