Officials celebrate as grizzly bears are caught on camera using unique new bridge: 'It was pretty amazing to see firsthand'
KHOL 89.1FM reported that grizzly bears in Wyoming are exploring the new wildlife crossings near Wyoming Highway 22.
WYDOT, Teton County, and the Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resources Trust funded the four new crossings in the area for wildlife navigation around the existing intersection construction. After a rancher spotted the bear using one, project engineer Mick Farrell captured a photo as it crossed the Snake River. Designated crossings can improve wildlife conservation for Wyoming's 122 mammal species by reducing unnecessary contact with people.
Seeing a healthy grizzly bear safely using the crossing was good news after four fatalities in a month. KHOL 89.1FM reported that one cub was hit by a car, and two young bears may have been killed by an adult male grizzly. Another one was euthanized after dangerous behavior in Yellowstone.
Grizzlies enable healthy biodiversity, so it's a good sign to see them roaming in their space. These apex predators keep nature in balance by hunting herbivores capable of overgrazing, which also reduces foraging and habitat space for pollinators. Typical grizzly activities like digging help aerate the soil, and they disperse blueberry and buffaloberry seeds in their feces.
The brown large bear that can reach up to 700 pounds is listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act. However, conservation acts like wildlife crossings and data from tracking collars placed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department can prevent them from moving up to endangered.
Wildlife crossings in other areas have already shown success. The Banff Wildlife Crossings in Canada have reduced car collisions with wildlife by 80%. Bison in the UK are also getting some space — their roaming area will increase from 123 acres to 494 acres — from government-backed construction on the nation's first-ever bison bridge. Los Angeles is also taking action by building the world's largest wildlife crossing — measuring 210 feet long — over an eight-lane freeway.
According to Smart Growth America, there are as many as one to two million collisions between cars and wildlife. Consequently, people can also get hurt, as 200 human fatalities, 26,000 injuries, and as much as $8 billion in property damage result from these specific accidents, per Pew Research.
Safer and separate crossings are invaluable for all species, not just grizzlies. However, it's good that these legendary bears are leading the way.
Farrell said, "It was pretty amazing to see firsthand the wildlife crossings working."
Should the U.S. invest in building more wildlife overpasses?
Absolutely
Depends on how we do it
Depends on where we do it
Nope
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Court refuses to halt judge's order requiring Florida agency to protect manatees in Indian River Lagoon
A divided federal appeals court Tuesday refused to halt a district judge's order that requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to take steps to protect manatees in the northern Indian River Lagoon, including temporarily preventing new septic tanks in the area. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, rejected the department's request for a stay of an order issued last month by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza. The stay, if granted, would have put Mendoza's order on hold while an underlying appeal plays out. Mendoza in April ruled the department violated the federal Endangered Species Act in the northern Indian River Lagoon, which is primarily in Brevard County. Getty Images Mendoza in April ruled the department violated the federal Endangered Species Act in the northern Indian River Lagoon, which is primarily in Brevard County. He followed with the May order, an injunction that included a moratorium on constructing and installing septic systems in a northern Indian River Lagoon watershed and requiring establishment of biomedical-assessment and supplemental-feeding programs for manatees in the area. The environmental group Bear Warriors United in 2022 filed the lawsuit against the department, arguing, in part, that wastewater discharges into the lagoon led to the demise of seagrass, a key food source for manatees, and resulted in deaths and other harm to the animals. The appeals-court panel decision Tuesday cited what are known as manatee "takings" because of water-quality problems. "The district court found that FDEP's (the department's) current wastewater regulations prolong manatee takings: it found a clear, definitive causal link between the FDEP's current wastewater regulations, the water pollution that is killing manatees' primary food source and is creating harmful algae blooms, and the length of time over which manatees will continue to be harmed. … We see no likely clear error in that finding," said the decision, shared by Judges Robin Rosenbaum and Jill Pryor. But Judge Britt Grant dissented, writing that Mendoza's injunction "is infirm in several respects and raises many serious questions about the scope of federal judicial power." "The district court below ordered the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to stop issuing sewage and disposal system permits near Florida's North Indian River Lagoon, and to establish from whole cloth (and in a matter of days) a program for assessing, feeding, and monitoring manatees and their habitat — a task that agency has neither the expertise nor the authority to complete," Grant wrote. A key part of Mendoza's injunction calls for the state to seek what is known as an "incidental take" permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That process would include the state developing a conservation plan, which could provide "permanent protection and management of habitat for the species," according to information about such permits on the federal agency's website. While the incidental-take permit request is pending, Mendoza ordered the department to not issue permits for constructing and installing septic systems in the area and required the other steps about a biomedical assessment and supplemental feeding. The septic-tank moratorium is slated to start July 17, while Mendoza ordered the assessment and feeding requirements to take effect Tuesday. FILE - A group of manatees are pictured in a canal where discharge from a nearby Florida Power & Light plant warms the water in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 28, 2010. Manatee deaths dropped in 2022 from a record high the year before, but Florida wildlife officials said Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, that chronic starvation caused by water pollution remains a major concern. Lynne Sladky / AP Bear Warriors United filed the lawsuit after Florida had a record 1,100 manatee deaths in 2021, with the largest number, 358, in Brevard County. Many deaths were linked to starvation. The state had 800 manatee deaths in 2022, before the number dropped to 555 in 2023 and 565 in 2024, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. As of Friday, 414 manatees deaths had been reported this year, including 85 in Brevard County, the most in any county. Manatees are classified by the federal government as a threatened species. In seeking the stay of Mendoza's injunction, the department raised a series of issues, including targeting the septic-tank moratorium. Septic tanks discharge nitrogen that can cause harmful algae blooms in waterways. "The indefinite moratorium on the construction of new septic systems further threatens to impede commercial and residential development in the state," the department's motion for a stay said. "Florida law specifically authorizes construction using 'nutrient-reducing onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems' or similar nitrogen-reducing 'wastewater treatment systems.' And the third-party property owners and developers affected by the court's decree have no ready means to challenge this moratorium, as they are not parties to this action (the lawsuit)." But Mendoza wrote in his April ruling that under the department's regulations, it would take at least a decade for conditions in the northern Indian River Lagoon, which also goes into Volusia County, to start to recover. "This is due to the previously and currently permitted discharge of legacy pollutants via wastewater into the north IRL (Indian River Lagoon)," Mendoza wrote. "These legacy pollutants caused the death of seagrasses — the manatee's natural forage — and the proliferation of harmful macroalgae. Legacy pollutants, as their name suggests, persist in the environment and cause harmful effects long after they have entered the system."
USA Today
5 days ago
- USA Today
What is a pangolin? Animal could be protected under Endangered Species Act
What is a pangolin? Animal could be protected under Endangered Species Act Show Caption Hide Caption Extinct animals among seized taxidermy haul worth about $31.5 million According to police, the private stuffed animal collection was discovered in a 50,000 square-meter warehouse. Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY Seven species of pangolin could soon be federally protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, an animal which officials have called "the world's most heavily trafficked mammal." In an announcement posted June 16 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials said the proposal to include the animals on the list was in response to declining populations caused by "illegal wildlife tracking, habitat loss, and poor genetic health." On the same day, the service posted a Federal Register notice proposing the addition of the seven species of pangolin to the list. "After reviewing the best available scientific and commercial information, the Service is proposing to list seven species of pangolin as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act," the Fish and Wildlife Service said in the announcement. Here's what you need to know. What is a pangolin? The pangolin is a peculiar-looking creature that looks like the cross between an anteater and an armadillo. It's also the only mammal on Earth covered in scales from head to tail. But the scales that make it so famous also make the demand for it even higher. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, pangolins are "heavily targeted" by poachers and criminal organizations. "The proceeds from the illicit sale of pangolins and other imperiled species often fund serious crimes, including drug and arms trafficking. This proposed listing reaffirms the Service's commitment to protecting these magnificent species and ensures the United States does not contribute to their continued decline," the announcement said. Where are pangolins found? According to Save Pangolins, the animals can be found across Asia and Africa. When threatened by predators, the pangolins curl into a ball, protecting themselves with their tough scales. The number of pangolins left in the world is currently unknown, as the animals are shy and nocturnal, making the counting of them very difficult. Their shyness has also made determining their life span difficult, as it is currently unknown how long they live in the wild, but some have lived up to two decades in captivity. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
The world's most trafficked mammal is the pangolin. US officials say it's an endangered species
U.S. officials proposed Monday to protect the pangolin, a small, nocturnal mammal covered in scales, under the Endangered Species Act. The pangolin is 'the most trafficked mammal in the world' in large part for its scales, used in traditional Chinese medicine, and meat, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking to add protections for four species of the pangolin native to Asia — including the Chinese, Indian, Sunda and Philippine pangolin — and three species native to Africa, including the white-bellied, black-bellied and giant pangolin. Seven species are in danger of extinction, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. An eighth species from Africa, the Temminck's ground pangolin, is already protected by the law. Scientists also say two more species of the mammal may exist. The protections were signed into law in 1973 with bipartisan support and are key for preserving global biodiversity and keeping iconic types of plants and animals, such as the bald eagle, from dying out. The Endangered Species Act protects over 2,000 U.S. and foreign species. Conservation and environmental groups say habitat loss from climate change is just one reason the act is especially critical today. The endangerment listing, once finalized, would help strengthen trade and import restrictions of pangolin parts in the U.S., except in the case of scientific or other conservation purposes, according to the Center. It is illegal to trade them; the pangolin received certain commercial trade protections under the 2017 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. But tons of poached scales representing thousands of pangolin have been found by authorities around the world in recent years . 'I'm delighted the United States is doing its part to save these adorably odd creatures,' Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. 'Pangolins are on the razor's edge of extinction, and we need to completely shut down any U.S. market for their scales. There's no good reason for anybody to ingest any part of a pangolin.' The pangolin eats insects and rolls into a ball when threatened by predators. The Fish and Wildlife Service said pangolin populations have declined due to targeting by poachers and criminal activity, noting 'proceeds from the illicit sale of pangolins and other imperiled species often fund serious crimes, including drug and arms trafficking.' While the act requires endangered species listing regardless of their origin, the designation could also assist in prosecuting smugglers violating the protections. Advocates, including from the International Fund for Animal Welfare and other national and international groups, have for years petitioned to list the pangolin. In 2020, these organizations and the Fish and Wildlife Service signed an agreement to enforce listing deadlines. Polar bears, as well as penguins — similarly not found in the U.S. — have also been in discussions for listing over the years. Monday's move comes despite President Donald Trump's efforts to weaken the act , aligning with ongoing conservative criticism that it stifles economic growth. Trump's executive order declaring an 'energy emergency' in the U.S. says the act can't stand in the way of energy development , signaling that protections could be rolled back. The Trump administration already plans to cut habitat protections for endangered and threatened species, in an effort to redefine the long-standing meaning of what constitutes 'harm.' ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn . Reach her at . ___ Read more of AP's climate coverage at ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
