Wildlife Crossings

Mending separation

Yesterday, as the sun beat down on the asphalt, my partner and I drove east along Route 2 in Western Massachusetts. Windows rolled down, ready to stock up on fresh produce at the farmer's market, traffic suddenly screeched to a halt. Peering through the windshield, I spotted the source of the chaos – a tiny bear cub, disoriented and alone, wandering in the middle lane. It was a heartbreaking sight. About size of a puppy, she was lost, separated from her mother. A stark reminder of the fragmented world we humans have created. Much of modern human infrastructure, particularly interstate highways, severs natural habitats, disrupting long-established animal migration patterns. This isolation caused by roads and development leads to a tragic increase in wildlife deaths and dangerous collisions.

A fierce advocate for all creatures, I felt a pang of helplessness.

Photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash

Just as my partner and I pulled over, a motorcycle rider ahead of us gently scooped up the tiny bear who let out a heart-wrenching cry. The rider carefully carried her back into the woods bordering the road. Neighbors then came out of their house and assured us they'd keep an eye out for the adorable cub. Desperately, I hoped she would find the nearby stream and reunite with her mama.

Photo by Yann Allegre on Unsplash

After seeing the bewildered cub on Route 2, my partner and I spoke about the modern human condition. The cub mirrored the experience of too many of us who have become alienated from our wild nature. When in truth, we are nature, born from our vast oceanic womb and woven into the intricate tapestry of life – our families, cultures, and multispecies kin. Perhaps by embracing our own soft animal bodies and remembering our place in the web of life, we can build corridors between ourselves and our wild relatives.

As Wallis Annenberg, Chairman, President, and CEO of Annenberg Foundation, eloquently states, “Wildlife crossings restore ecosystems that had been fractured and disrupted. They reconnect lands and species that are aching to be whole..” By reconnecting fragmented habitats, wildlife crossings mend the fractured world around us; fostering a future where humans and all creatures, from bears and coyotes to wolves, can thrive together.

When wild spaces become fractured, so do the wild places within ourselves.

Photo by Filip Cernak on Unsplash

HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES:

1. Animal Help Now: This website allows you to search for wildlife rescue centers and rehabilitators near you by entering your zip code. A valuable resource if you encounter an injured or orphaned wild animal.

2. Be prepared a wildlife rescue kit.

3. Found an orphaned or injured baby wild animal? This webpage from the Humane Society provides information on how to identify if a baby animal truly needs help. It also offers guidance on what to do if you find orphaned or injured wildlife.

4. Mass.gov: Massachusetts Rehabilitation: This link provides resources for wildlife rehabilitation in MA. Look for similar resources in your area.

5. Federal Highway Administration: Wildlife Crossings Program: This webpage from the Federal Highway Administration focuses on their Wildlife Crossings Program. This program aims to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by creating safe passages for animals to cross roads and highways.

WE NEED MORE COLLABORATIONS LIKE THIS ONE:

This Mongabay documentary spotlights a successful wildlife conservation project in Montana. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes partnered with Montana to build the US's largest network of wildlife crossings on a dangerous highway. This design, based on Indigenous knowledge, reduced animal collisions by 71% and allows over 22,000 animals to cross safely each year.

In the comment’s, I’d love to know…

Are there successful wildlife crossings where you live? Petitions or bills to introduce them?

HERE ARE TWO MORE SHORT DOCS WORTH WATCHING: