Wildlife Corridor Design and Animal Safety

Wildlife corridors allow animals to move between fragmented habitat patches but poorly designed corridors can create bottlenecks, traps, and novel stressors for wildlife navigating human-dominated landscapes.

Key Facts

Habitat fragmentation affects over 70% of remaining forest areas globally
Wildlife corridors have been shown to increase species diversity and population viability in recipient patches
Road crossing structures including underpasses and overpasses reduce vehicle collision mortality significantly
Puma and bear crossings in the US reduce mortality and increase connectivity for wide-ranging carnivores
Corridor width matters: narrow corridors may channel predator-prey encounters increasing mortality risk
Urban wildlife corridors need to account for noise, light pollution, and human disturbance
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative spans 3,200 km and represents the largest corridor project

Welfare Considerations

Individual animals navigating wildlife corridors experience the stress of moving through unfamiliar terrain with novel hazards. Corridors that funnel animals through bottlenecks increase predation risk and stress. Well-designed corridors consider the movement ecology and sensory environment of target species, providing adequate width, vegetation cover, and minimal human disturbance. The welfare of individual animals using corridors is an emerging consideration alongside population-level connectivity benefits.

What You Can Do

Support wildlife crossing infrastructure projects in your region through advocacy and donations
Drive carefully in known wildlife crossing areas especially at dawn and dusk
Reduce light pollution near wildlife corridors by using directional, low-intensity outdoor lighting
Support land trusts that purchase land to create or maintain wildlife corridor connections
Learn about local wildlife movement patterns and advocate for corridor protection in planning decisions