United States Department of Transportation
i
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Wildlife Guards and Right of Way Escape Mechanisms for Large Ungulates in Arizona
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2020-09-01
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[PDF-6.58 MB]
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Edition:FINAL (2015 – 2019)
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Abstract:Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) can cause motorist fatalities, injuries, and property damage to vehicles. To address safety concerns and reduce WVC in Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has installed fencing in areas with high WVC incidence to limit ungulate access to the right of way (ROW) and to funnel animals to structures suitable for wildlife passage such as overpasses, underpasses, and culverts. Although fencing is effective in reducing WVC, there remains a dearth of information on the effectiveness of escape mechanisms, which allow wildlife to leave the ROW for a safer place, and wildlife guards, which aim to prevent wildlife from entering the ROW. To fill this gap in knowledge applicable to Arizona, this study used data collected using Reconyx HyperFire still cameras on three types of ungulates—elk, deer, and desert bighorn sheep—along three highways: Interstate 17 (elk and deer), State Route 260 (elk and deer), and U.S. Route 93 (bighorn sheep). The overall goal of this study was to determine the most effective designs for ROW escape mechanisms and wildlife guards for each type of ungulate considered. Additionally, the research team used video surveillance to evaluate performance success and elk behavior associated with electrified and nonelectrified wildlife guards in a controlled test site near Payson, Arizona. The team developed a set of design recommendations for escape mechanisms and wildlife guards found effective for elk, deer, and desert bighorn sheep in Arizona.
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