7 Amazing Overpasses for Animals

Wildlife overpasses, green bridges, and ecoducts all refer to structures that have been built over roads to allow wildlife to cross safely to the other side of the road. The bridges are for the animals; the animals walk over the road, and the vehicles go through the structure. Most of the structures are between 10 m (30 ft) and 60 m (180 ft) wide. They typically have soil, litter, and vegetation on top to provide suitable habitat for a range of different species and species groups. The larger structures are typically intended for large mammals ranging from ungulates (e.g. deer, elk, moose) to large carnivores (e.g. black bear, grizzly bear, Canada lynx, wolverine, wolf). Here are pictures of some of the most beautiful and interesting wildlife overpasses in the world. — Marcel Huijser

Above: Ecoduct De Woeste Hoeve over the highway A50, Netherlands

Image

Wildlife Overpass, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. In Banff National Park, there are currently 41 wildlife crossing structures (6 overpasses and 35 underpasses) that help wildlife safely cross the busy Trans-Canada Highway. Since monitoring began in 1996, 11 species of large mammals—including bears, elk and cougar—have used crossing structures more than 200,000 times.

Image: Joel Sartore

Wildlife Overpass, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada link
Ecoduct in Netherlands; The Netherlands was one of the first countries to deploy a network of wildlife crossings across the landscape.

Image: jimsawthat / Flickr

“Animals’ bridge” in Montana, USA

Image: thepedigreeartist

Ecoduct in France

Image: loodusajakiri.ee

Green bridge over the highway 464 near Boeblingen, Germany

Image: Creative Commons

Unusual overpass for crabs: Red crabs climb over an overpass to cross a road on Christmas Island during their migration. (Christmas Island National Park, Australia)

Image: ABC Goldfields

Source: theworldgeography.com

Read more: Nature, Nature & Wildlife, animals, wildlife crossings

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Melania P.

11:40AM PST on Jan 28, 2013

Cool! I wish there were more around the globe.

January 28
send a green star

Kathy P.

12:59PM PDT on Sep 27, 2012

oh my goodness. this is amazing. ive never heard of these!

September 27
send a green star

Dale O.

8:25AM PDT on Jul 31, 2012

Such a marvellous and splendid idea, this must be expanded to many other places and give wildlife a chance to survive. Wonderful alternatives to concrete road ways ensuring the survival of many wildlife that may well have otherwise been killed.

July 31
send a green star

Miranda P.

7:28AM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

Oh wow! That is so wonderful! There is hope for our species after all!!

July 30
send a green star

Sije D.

12:30PM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

Thanks

July 25
send a green star

James S.

11:53AM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

I believe that more tax dollars should go to compassionate programs like the overpasses. In New York City, 24 million dollars of tax payer money will go towards replacing new street signs with, newer street signs. The new, new street signs will be different; they will have ALL CAPS. The reason given - it makes the streets seem more authoritative. 24 million to replace nice signs with new ones, for authority. That's one example, of many, of how tax dollars are blatantly misused. I don't have all the answers but I'm thinking it's reasonable to keep the street signs the same and spend the money on animal crossings.

Kay M.

11:05AM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

awesome. glad they are being used & not just a nice idea.

Renata B.

8:16AM PDT on Jul 25, 2012

They save many lives.

Annemarie W.

3:47PM PDT on Jul 23, 2012

I thought there were building one in the everglades.