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How a federal grant could lead to safer wildlife crossings in Michigan
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a follow-up to the previous episode highlighting efforts to protect people and animals with creative wildlife crossings on roads.
Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/episodes/15775958-how-a-federal-grant-could-lead-to-safer-wildlife-crossings-in-michigan
Amanda Novak, a resource specialist in the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Bay Region, helped spearhead the grant application and explains the importance.
As laid out in the project abstract for the grant, the number of wildlife vehicle collisions (WVCs) in Michigan continues to increase annually, worsening risks and costs to drivers. For example, white-tailed deer alone account for more than 55,000 WVCs and cost motorists an average of $130 million per year in Michigan. Additionally, WVCs are a major threat to many wildlife populations in the state, including documented impacts on several threatened and endangered species. Projected increases in tourism, housing development and climate change effects are likely to exacerbate WVC effects on motorists and wildlife in Michigan.
Below is a table outlining the Michigan species they hope to help.
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Common name
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Primary focus
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State listing
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Federal listing
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Game species
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Habitat
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White-tailed deer
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Public safety
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Stable
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Stable
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Yes
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Terrestrial
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Elk
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Public safety
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Stable
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Stable
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Yes
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Terrestrial
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Moose
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Public safety
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Special Concern*
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Stable
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No
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Terrestrial
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Black bear
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Public safety
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Stable
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Stable
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Yes
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Terrestrial
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Wild turkey
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Public safety
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Stable
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Stable
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Yes
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Terrestrial
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Pine marten ꭝ
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Species conservation
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Stable
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Stable
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Yes
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Terrestrial
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E. massasauga rattlesnake
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Species conservation
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Threatened*
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Threatened*
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No
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Semi-aquatic
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Blanding’s turtle
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Species conservation
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Special Concern*
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Stable
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No
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Semi-aquatic
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* Listed in the Michigan State Wildlife Action Plan
ꭝ Population highly fragmented with threats to connectivity
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† Listed in the 2016 Federal Register
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Podcast photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
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