The state of Colorado recently unveiled a new report detailing options to better protect Colorado’s wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors, and improve conditions for the state’s big game species.
The report highlights some of the challenges and threats facing Colorado’s wildlife which disrupt landscape connectivity and reduce the availability of functional habitat including roads and other infrastructure, industrial activities, residential growth and outdoor recreation.
Options to address those challenges include implementing regulations for energy development and other land uses, improving infrastructure to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, coordinating conservation funding, planning trails with wildlife in mind and better incentivizing participation by industry and private landowners in voluntary habitat conservation efforts.
“Wildlife-vehicle collisions pose a risk to people and wildlife alike. An average of 3,300 of these incidents are reported to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) every year, many of which result in injury to passengers and animal mortality, not to mention thousands of dollars in property damage,” said Shoshana Lew, CDOT executive director. “There is a significant need to increase funding for wildlife infrastructure, such as under- or overpasses, which we know can be highly effective at improving public safety and conditions for wildlife.”
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided funding connected the research and construction of previous wildlife overpasses in Colorado.
(Photo source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife)