Road Ecology Center

Black bears and other wildlife species are impacted by highway systems and associated traffic loads in many ways. There is growing concern among government natural resource agencies, environmental groups and transportation agencies over the effects of roads on wildlife. Roads often cross animal travel corridors. Use of these corridors is difficult to monitor, and various methods have been devised to determine specific crossing points. I am using barbed wire stretched along a section of highway at a proposed expansion site to determine if bears cross the existing roadbed at predictable places at different times of the year. Also, hair samples collected from the wire will be subjected to DNA fingerprinting to determine the number of individuals crossing the road, how many times an individual crosses, and the sex of these individuals. Highway planners may then use these data to place bridges or culverts in places where bears and other species will use them. This study has only recently begun, but initial results are very promising. It may likely prove useful for monitoring travel corridor use of other species besides bears. Funding source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Total budget: $50K/year for two years Project period: June 2000-June 2002