Publication: Science Magazine

UCLA Expert: Daniel Blumstein:  Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Professor, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Synopsis: Wildlife bridges and tunnels not only protect animals from vehicle collisions but help to prevent inbreeding among small and vulnerable populations hemmed in by roadways and other human development by connecting them with a wider pool of potential mates. But whether animals feel safe using these crossings is another story, say UCLA researchers and colleagues who studied the reactions of deer and elk around a wildlife tunnel beneath a four-lane highway. 

UCLA News: “It’s only through studies like this that focus on how animals perceive and react to the stimuli in their environment — which can either attract them or repel them — that we’ll gain the necessary insights to develop effective wildlife crossings,” Blumstein said, referring to his study on the reactions of deer and elk around a wildlife tunnel. “Importantly, different species are likely to respond differently, and other external contextual cues might also influence how a given species responds.” Corresponding author Eric Abelson, who worked with Blumstein on the study as a postdoctoral fellow, noted that while prior research has demonstrated that the passage of many vehicles affects animals, the current study is the first to observe animals’ roadside behavior in real time, both before and after vehicles passed.

Read more at Science Magazine.