New lifelines for the Mojave desert tortoise, red wolf and Florida panther

What happens when a Mojave desert tortoise tries to cross a busy road with cars and trucks zooming by at 65 mph? The short answer: you don’t want to know. 

This particular tortoise does not dodge traffic well – no feints, no sprints, no ESPN-level highlight moves. If drivers see it in time, perhaps they can avoid it. Otherwise the tortoise will become roadkill. 

Surely we can do better by the tortoise and other creatures, and that’s the idea behind wildlife crossings. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the latest recipients of funding for new wildlife crossings, and in so doing delivered good news for wildlife across the country. The agency awarded $125 million  for improving road safety and habitat connectivity by funding wildlife crossing projects in 16 states. 

It’s all part of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, created by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The grants will support state efforts to construct wildlife crossings under and over roads, add fencing to help animals navigate to the crossings, and monitor the performance of the crossing systems. In total, $350 million is available over five years under the program.

This investment comes at a critical time, as wildlife populations across the country have been declining. A primary reason for this loss of life is habitat fragmentation. As we build more infrastructure – roads, cities, fences and dams – animal populations become fragmented and isolated. Their carved-up habitats deny them the ability to move as they need. Whether it’s to find food, mates, shelter, or to escape weather or other seasonal threats, animals need room to roam. Without it, animals such as the desert tortoise are left susceptible to disease, death and extinction. 

Because of this investment in crossings, animals (and species) across the country will have a better shot at life. Of the 16 states that were allocated funds, some specific grants include:

• The Florida Department of Transportation will receive $6.1 million to build a new underpass and add fencing. This project will reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions with the endangered Florida panther, white-tailed deer, American alligator and other small terrestrial aquatic species. With as few as 120 Florida panthers remaining in the wild, and they are so critically endangered that they are vulnerable to nearly every major threat. 
• The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive $33.2 million to build a wildlife crossing across Interstate 5. This will primarily help deer, bears, elk and cougars. Oregon’s mule deer population has decreased by 50% over the past five decades and has been dropping since 1981. 
• The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $25 million to install underpass structures and fencing. Species affected will be the critically endangered red wolf, black bear and white tailed deer. There are about  20 red wolves remaining in the wild, and many red wolf lives have been cut short due to collisions with cars. 
• The Nevada Department of Transportation will receive $16.8 million to build 61 wildlife crossings and install 68 miles of barrier fencing. Habitat will be connected for the threatened Mojave population of the desert tortoise. Having been threatened since 1990, these tortoises have been largely impacted by human development and habitat fragmentation.

The full list of grant selections can be found here. 

With declining populations of so many animals, it is critical that we act fast. Wildlife crossings have been proven to be successful at saving the lives of animals, thus funding for these new projects is great news the desert tortoise and other wildlife across the country. We are thrilled to see efforts like this to reconnect nature and save lives (ours and those of wildlife).