Wildlife Corridors Could Significantly Reduce Road Kill in Finland
In Finland, the battle against wildlife fatalities on roads has reached a critical point. Each year, millions of wild animals fall victim to traffic, and the presence of larger mammals, such as elk, poses an especially grave risk to human safety. A recent study from the University of Helsinki has brought some hopeful news: implementing wildlife corridors, such as overpasses and dry paths through culverts, could potentially decrease road kill by an impressive 80 percent.
Wildlife corridors are essentially man-made structures designed to facilitate the safe passage of animals across human-altered landscapes, including roads and railways. As urban sprawl and infrastructure development fragment natural habitats, these corridors play an essential role in preserving biodiversity by allowing species to migrate and interbreed.
While wildlife corridors have been implemented across various European countries since the 1980s, Finland is just now embracing their potential. In recent years, several underpasses have been constructed, enabling animals to cross busy highways without risking their lives.
An innovative approach involves creating dry paths alongside waterways that run beneath roads, taking advantage of Finland’s myriad rivers and streams. These dry paths, which often already exist to simplify maintenance chores, provide vital access for smaller mammals to traverse their environment without the peril of crossing open roads.
The Importance of Elevated Crossings
When it comes to protecting larger mammals like elk and deer, specially designed overpasses prove to be invaluable. Research has shown that fencing can impede these animals’ migratory patterns and limit their ability to colonize new territories when food becomes scarce.
In Finland, a wildlife corridor above the Turku-Helsinki motorway has been in operation for nearly a decade. Ground markings in the surrounding forest reveal a thriving use of this safe passage by local wildlife.
“There are plenty of deer and rabbit tracks, and a few that belong to foxes. The footprints confirm that the animals are actively using this corridor,” explains Lars Hannu Åkerman, a member of the local game management association. “It’s a natural route that elks typically prefer.”
The Dangers of Collisions with Elk
The Eurasian elk, often referred to as a moose in American English, can weigh as much as 475 kilograms and stand two meters tall. This bulk makes collisions with these majestic animals a serious concern; in fact, crashes with elk often result in fatal outcomes for motorists. This grim reality has led some hunters to advocate for culling the elk population in Finland.
A doctoral dissertation by Milla Niemi of Helsinki University highlights the elk population as the leading cause of traffic fatalities resulting from elk-vehicle collisions. The study notes that while over ten fatalities per year occurred in the 2000s, this number has notably dropped to between zero and three annually in the last decade.
Notably, the peak season for elk collisions occurs in September and October, with a secondary spike in late spring and early summer. As climate patterns shift, these peak times are gradually moving up in the calendar.
Designing Safe Crossings
In southern Lohja, the Hämjoki Bridge may look like an ordinary underpass at first glance, but its significance becomes clear upon closer inspection.
“Otter tracks are evident here. They emerged from the water and navigated through this passage,” Niemi remarks, who is preparing to defend her thesis on April 1. “Finland has tens of thousands of similar underpasses, but only a fraction feature dry paths that animals can utilize.”
These dry paths not only assist with maintenance and provide a buffer during floods but also help animals stay safe while navigating the dangers of roads and railways. Unfortunately, many existing culverts in Finland are constructed from inexpensive galvanized steel and are not designed for larger animals, resulting in an estimated million mammal deaths annually, alongside 200,000 reptiles, countless frogs, and millions of birds.
The Financial Case for Change
Many animals tend to traverse areas near water, making road crossings at these points particularly lethal. Niemi’s research suggests that incorporating dry paths alongside existing culverts could reduce wildlife casualties by as much as 80 percent.
“The implementation of dry paths should be a standard consideration anytime a bridge undergoes repairs or enhancements,” she argues.
The Finnish Transport Agency acknowledges that the expense of adding dry paths during major road and rail projects is relatively minor. In contrast, constructing larger overpasses for big mammals like elk incurs significantly higher costs.
As Finland grapples with the intersection of wildlife and transportation safety, the promise of wildlife corridors shines as a beacon of hope—offering a win-win solution that safeguards animal lives and enhances roadway safety for humans.