Seasonal and regional animal use of drainage structures to cross under roadways
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Published source details
Sparks J.L. & Gates J.E. (2017) Seasonal and regional animal use of drainage structures to cross under roadways. Human Wildlife Interactions, 11, 182-191.
Published source details Sparks J.L. & Gates J.E. (2017) Seasonal and regional animal use of drainage structures to cross under roadways. Human Wildlife Interactions, 11, 182-191.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Install tunnels/culverts/underpass under roads Action Link |
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Install tunnels/culverts/underpass under roads
A replicated study in 2008–2011 of 265 culverts throughout Maryland, USA (Sparks & Gates 2017) found that culverts were used by a range of mammal species to cross roads. Crossings were made by northern raccoons Procyon lotor (0.79/culvert/day), Virginia opossums Didelphis virginiana (0.03/culvert/day), woodchucks Marmota monax (0.03/culvert/day), red foxes Vulpes vulpes (0.03/culvert/day), eastern gray squirrels Sciurus carolinensis (0.02/culvert/day) and both common gray foxes Urocyon cinereoargenteus and white-footed mice Peromyscus spp (0.01/culvert/day). Between August 2008 and January 2011, a total of 265 randomly selected culverts were monitored using camera traps for a total of 31,317 camera-trap days. Culverts were located under paved roads and contained either a waterway, a route for water flow, or other depression. Culverts averaged 2.4 m wide, 1.9 m high and 46.4 m long. Each culvert was sampled at least nine times in 2008–2011, for 10–36 days each time, using one camera trap. The camera was placed at the approximate midpoint of the culvert or near the entrance.
(Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)
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