A research project tracking animals using satellite collars is helping to establish new wildlife crossings along Alberta's Hwy. 3 over the next five years. Helping conduct the research are the Miistakis Institute, the University of British Columbia, Biodiversity Pathways, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, and the Government of Alberta's Ministry of Environment. This project hopes to have a major impact on the number of animal-vehicle collisions, which accounted for approximately 60% of vehicle collisions between 2015 and 2020. .Hwy. 3 is a major road in Southwest Alberta, connecting several communities known as the Crowsnest Pass and also linking Alberta to British Columbia.It is also home to many wildlife, including grizzly bears, elk, deer, and bighorn sheep. The 56-kilometre stretch of road will receive animal crossings with the help of research collected on the movement of animals along the area, providing the information needed to create effective wildlife crossings. .This includes 80 motion-sensitive camera collars placed on 20 elk, nine mule deer, and eight grizzly bears, tracking their movements during different seasons and times of the day.Similar crossings have been put in place on Hwy. 1, which passes through Banff National Park. These crossings have reduced animal-vehicle collisions on the road by 80%. "It's the first time in Alberta, outside of the national park system, where we've seen this be attempted," said Tracy Lee, the Director of Conservation Research at the Miistakis Institute.."The big difference is, this is not a national park — it's a working landscape. And so we're trying a mitigation system where there's all kinds of land uses and access points that are occurring along that road."The wildlife crossings will include both overpasses and underpasses, fencing, retrofitted culverts, and special escape ramps.Lee says it works mainly in two ways."So we situate and build them in areas where we know animals are crossing, kind of like a corridor across the highway. There are a number of locations where you see movement more frequently than others. If we can't quite put it where it needs to be for their movement corridors, then there's a learned alert, where they will learn to use it." .Lee also states that this project "is quite economical." Alberta spends about $300,000 a day in direct and indirect costs of vehicle collisions, such as healthcare, property damage, and highway cleanup. With hopes that this will reduce animal-vehicle collisions — and thus save money."It's a really great investment, because it's a win-win for wildlife and humans," said Lee.
