Wildlife Corridor Planning and Animal Welfare

Wildlife corridors allow animals to move between habitat patches, reducing isolation stress and population fragmentation.

Key Facts

Habitat fragmentation isolates animal populations, increasing inbreeding and reducing genetic diversity
Road crossings kill millions of wildlife annually in North America and Europe
Wildlife corridors including underpasses, overpasses, and riparian connections reduce road mortality dramatically
Isolated populations show behavioral and physiological stress from restricted ranging
The Banff wildlife crossings have reduced wildlife road mortality by over 80% in their zone

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife corridor planning addresses welfare at multiple levels simultaneously. At the individual level, corridors allow animals to reach resources — food, water, mates — without the lethal risk of crossing roads and developed land. Road crossings kill millions of individual animals annually, many dying slowly from injuries. At the population level, corridors prevent the social isolation and behavioral stress of individuals trapped in small habitat patches. The connection of habitat fragments allows expression of natural ranging behavior and reduces the chronic stress of confinement to degraded or resource-limited areas.

What You Can Do

Support wildlife crossing funding in your region through advocacy and donation
Drive with caution in wildlife crossing zone areas especially at dawn and dusk
Advocate for wildlife corridor provisions in land use planning and development review
Donate to organizations mapping and implementing wildlife connectivity projects
Learn about local wildlife movement needs and share information with neighbors and planners