Why Didn’t the Elk Cross the Road?

Story: Throughout the United States, herds of animals such as elk, deer, and pronghorn travel hundreds of miles along the same migratory routes their ancestors have used for generations. But today, their journeys are interrupted by highways and other human-made barriers, leading to collisions that kill drivers and animals. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 1 million to 2 million large animals are struck by vehicles in the U.S. each year, causing approximately 200 human deaths. But there is a way forward that is earning bipartisan support among state and federal officials: wildlife road crossings.

In this episode of “After the Fact,” Pew’s Matt Skroch describes how wildlife road crossings work. And Michael Dax, western program director at the Wildlands Network, along with Patricia Cramer, founder, Wildlife Connectivity Institute, discuss how wildlife managers, transportation officials, and other groups are teaming up to build these crossings.

Related resources

• U.S. Conservation
• Wildlife Crossings Can Protect Migrating Animals
• Safe Roads for Wildlife