On a scenic stretch of Highway 3 in southern Alberta, amid the hills and foothills, there are not just posts and fences. Behind them lies an entire system that is changing the game between roads and wildlife.
The Rock Creek project, about ten kilometers long, cost 11 million dollars. According to provincial forecasts, it will pay for itself within 15 years by reducing the number of collisions with animals.
Previously, an average of 30 animal carcasses were collected annually on this stretch. The real number of victims, according to researchers' estimates, is three times higher: many animals go off to die away from the highway.
Collisions with large mammals cost society nearly a million dollars a year. The new system is expected to reduce such incidents by 80 percent once animals become accustomed to the crossings.
At the heart of the project is the work of biologists from the Wildlife Science Centre and the Miistakis Institute. They study migrations using GPS collars and cameras to understand where exactly animals prefer to cross the road.
The fencing is designed with the habits of different species in mind. Steel posts and slanted top sections prevent bears and cougars from climbing over, while mesh at the bottom stops them from digging under.
A special crossing has been built under the highway, camouflaged to blend with the natural landscape. In the first forty days after opening, cameras recorded 45 instances of deer, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, a moose, and even a cougar using the crossing.
Grizzly bears with cubs are only inspecting the entrance for now, but that's normal: large predators need more time to get used to a new structure.
Such crossings are important not only for safety. They preserve population connectivity: animals can move between different slopes, search for food, and avoid unfavorable conditions.
Without the ability to cross the highway, the north and south sides of the road become isolated, leaving animals with half as many options for survival.
Early data show that animals quickly learn safe routes and even pass this habit on to the next generations.
The Rock Creek project is a rare example where wildlife protection measures simultaneously reduce the costs of car repairs and human medical treatment.
The Alberta Wildlife Watch monitoring system helps identify new hotspots and improve designs on other highways.
