17/02/2026
Not an Australian post, however the themes are still very relevant and applicable here!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16r5QyxRqC/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Habitat fragmentation is something we humans excel at. Basically, it is where we chop up large swaths of the ecosystem into isolated, small islands by building roads, constructing buildings, and digging it up to plant crops. The problem is that isolated small islands have finite resources for the wildlife that we trap there and limit the genetic diversity and subsequently, the health, of that wildlife. As a result, wildlife is forced to cross our man-made barriers to find food, to migrate, and to reproduce. The roadkill you see on our roadways is a constant reminder that WE have created an obstacle course for wildlife that is just trying to do what they naturally do. The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife estimates that 14.5 million wild vertebrate animals are killed on Oregon roadways annually. Add to that over $132 million annually in damages, emergency response, and other costs, plus 2-4 human deaths per year. Again, that is just here in Oregon. Data has shown us that controlling driver behavior with traffic regulations and road signs is not as effective as redirecting the animals themselves. Yep, it’s easier to control the behavior of wild animals than humans. Imagine that? Wildlife crossings are hugely successful in preventing animal-vehicle fatalities. Montana, Colorado, and California together have around 200 of these crossings while Oregon has only 6. But, there is another Oregon crossing in the works for 2028 on I-5!
