In many parts of the country, the spread of human development makes it more and more difficult for animals to safely move about and migrate. To address the issue, one western state developed the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative, an effort that relies on strong collaborative partnerships and state-of-the-art tracking and data management technologies.
To date, the initiative completed more than 100 projects.
“Some of the really cool things we have done though, we’ve been able to install overpasses, which are essentially bridges going over roadways so animals can move back and forth. They’ve been really successful, with a lot of different animal species,” Blair Stringham, wildlife migration initiative coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, told Utah Public Radio.
Stringham also said fencing and underpass projects keep more animals off the road which results in improved safety for wildlife and drivers alike.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is one of three dozen partner organizations that support the initiative including state and federal agencies, conservation groups, universities and other groups.
(Photo credit: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)