In recent months, we’ve shared a couple of stories about highway crossings for wildlife in the US.
The first came in October when it was announced that a giant wildlife bridge would be built in the Los Angeles area to help mountain lions and other native animals cross over the US 101 freeway. The second came a month later when we wrote about an already existing wildlife overpass in Utah that has been seeing success in allowing animals such as moose and chipmunks to cross over safely without becoming roadkill.
Before the year ends, we are squeezing in one more story about wildlife crossings as a new bridge for animals has just opened in San Antonio. Known as the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge, the overpass sits above a six-lane highway and is the largest completed of its kind in America. Animals that could benefit from the bridge include coyotes, ringtails, and deer.
Beyond its size, what makes this wildlife crossing notable is that it can accommodate both people and animals. In addition, it is serving as a natural habitat for native plants.
Wildlife crossings can be very important because they link habitats that have been fragmented by highways. Considering that 21 threatened and endangered species such as Alabama’s red-bellied turtles face extinction partly because of traffic accidents, we are pleased to be seeing a trend of wildlife crossings getting built in different locations across the US.
