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Life Sciences Commons

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Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Journal

Wildlife–vehicle collisions

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Quantifying Wildlife Use Of Escape Ramps Along A Fenced Highway, Alex J. Jensen, John D. Perrine, Andrew A. Schaffner, Robert A. Brewster, Anthony J. Giordano, Morgan Robertson, Nancy R. Siepel Jan 2022

Quantifying Wildlife Use Of Escape Ramps Along A Fenced Highway, Alex J. Jensen, John D. Perrine, Andrew A. Schaffner, Robert A. Brewster, Anthony J. Giordano, Morgan Robertson, Nancy R. Siepel

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife exclusion fencing can significantly reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions. However, some animals breach the fence and become trapped in the highway corridor, thereby increasing risk of a wildlife–vehicle collision. An emerging solution to this problem is the installation of earthen escape ramps (i.e., jumpouts), which allow trapped animals to escape the highway corridor. Few studies have quantified wildlife use of jumpouts, and none have investigated intraspecific differences in use. We used camera traps to document wildlife use of 4 2m-high jumpouts associated with wildlife exclusion fencing along Highway 101 near San Luis Obispo, California, USA, from 2012 to 2017. We surveyed …


Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses With Fencing Reduces Wildlife Crashes And Connects Habitat, Bridget M. Donaldson, Kaitlyn E. M. Elliott Jul 2021

Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses With Fencing Reduces Wildlife Crashes And Connects Habitat, Bridget M. Donaldson, Kaitlyn E. M. Elliott

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The impact of wildlife–vehicle collisions on drivers and wildlife populations has been gaining attention in the United States. Given the established success of wildlife crossings with fencing in reducing wildlife crashes and connecting habitat, information is needed on cost-effective means of implementation for departments of transportation. When wildlife crossings are constructed, they are often built into new road projects as a series of 2 or more underpasses and/or overpass structures connected by exclusionary fencing. Given limited transportation budgets and the prevalence of maintenance activities more so than new construction in many states, enhancing existing underpasses on previously constructed roads has …