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Innovative Approaches to Wildlife/Highway Interactions Using Wildlife Behavior to Design Effective Mitigation Slide 2 Understanding wildlife behavior can help you: Find the most effective mitigation Work with an animals natural inclinations Slide 3 Formerly successful survival strategies that may not work in todays environment Slide 4 Learning Outcomes Name 3 basic needs that drive animal movement Describe 4 general behavioral responses to barrier fences Slide 5 Needs that drive animal movement 1.Food/water 2.Cover Thermal Thermal Escape Escape 3.Reproduction Slide 6 Many needs are not in the same location Daily travels for water Seasonal travel to avoid harsh conditions Annual travel Dispersal of young Seeking mates Movements precipitated by habitat changes Slide 7 Be aware of complementary habitat needs across roads Slide 8 Slide 9 Lake Jackson turtle parade through a culvert Slide 10 Many movements are directional, consistent patterns Can help locate mortality hotspots Can help determine whether a seasonal or permanent mitigation approach is needed Shawnee National Forest slotted drain crossing for rattlesnakes Slide 11 Predator avoidance Cover Camouflage Sensory Detection Slide 12 Whats it like to be food for the world? Behavior and biology are tied to antipredator strategies Slide 13 Nobody can see me Slide 14 but I can see and hear you Slide 15 Reproduction Expect greater movement and mortality during breeding season and juvenile dispersal Slide 16 Barrier Fence Behavior Slide 17 Fence Behavior: Climber Mark Ball Anan Interpretive Staff Slide 18 Fence Behavior: Pusher Dave Herr wwwnotes.fs.fed.us/wo/wfrp/find_a_photo.nsf Slide 19 Fence Behavior: Jumper Don Virgovic Alan Dyck Slide 20 FenceBehavior:Digger Dave Herr Slide 21 Activity: Fence Types Slide 22 Activity: Pronghorn What are some aspects of Pronghorn that cause them to be species at risk from highway impacts? What type of fence response do they exhibit? Why do they need to move? What type of mitigation may be suitable for Pronghorn? Slide 23 Example: Pronghorn characteristics Detect predators from long distances by sight Use a visual signal to warn others of danger Depend on their great speed to outrun predators Slide 24 Example: Pronghorn mitigation issues Pronghorn use few underpasses Pronghorn will crawl under fences but will jump under pressure Overcrossings with arched tops may be ineffective because they cant see the far side Slide 25 Best Passage Solutions for Pronghorn? Flat Overcrossing High Bridge Unfenced ROW on lower volume highways Open span bridges outside riparian habitat Min height x width is 18 x 60 Slide 26 Will the Pronghorn Use the Wildlife Crossing Structure? See www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2006/04/ AntelopecrossingatTr.htm www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2006/04/ AntelopecrossingatTr.htm www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2006/04/ AntelopecrossingatTr.htm Herd of pronghorn at Trappers Point Bottleneck, Wyoming Slide 27 Questions to ask for your target species (Biological issues) What does it fear? Predation? The unusual or unknown? How does it avoid danger? What are its behavioral and morphological defense mechanisms? What are its primary senses? Smell, hearing, vision? Is it gregarious, with a herd leader? Can it learn easily or is most behavior stereotyped? Is it curious? Can it be enticed, tricked, or coerced? Slide 28 Questions to ask for your target species (Movement issues) What motivates its travel? What is the intensity of its motivation? Is travel traditional or highly predictable? How far will it travel? Is it high or low mobility? Do predators push movement? Slide 29 Questions to ask for your target species (Habitat issues) What habitat elements influence its movement? Cover? Terrain, including microhabitat? Water sources? Slide 30 Learning Outcomes Name 3 basic needs that drive animal movement Describe 4 general behavioral responses to barrier fences