#Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

Minnows are most commonly known for their small size, but there are some that defy the stereotype. The Colorado pikeminnow is one of the largest minnow species in the world; once this species grew to nearly 2 m (6 ft) long and weighed up to 45 kg (100 lbs). Unfortunately, habitat degradation and overfishing have reduced the size of these fish, but they still easily outclass their smaller cousins.

(Image: A colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) being examined by a biologist, by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

[typhlonectes]

Biologists are able to track wolverine for the first time

After capturing and collaring a wolverine, biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources were able to track its behaviors.

A year ago, in March 2022, a wolverine was found and collared for the first in Utah.

The collar indicated the wolverine is quite the traveler! 

Within a span of three weeks the fierce animal:

covered 214 miles

migrated an average of .43 miles each hour (Although according to DWR, it sometimes covered up to 3 miles in an hour – as the crow flies – in areas with over five feet of snow!)

crossed from one side of the Uintah Mountains to the other, four different times!

via: https://ksltv.com/533226/biologists-are-able-to-track-wolverine-for-the-first-time

[petnews2day]

Utah prairie dogs are no longer nearly extinct. Here's why

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/iiIPZ

Utah prairie dogs are no longer nearly extinct. Here's why

PANGUITCH — Utah Prairie Dog Day was held Thursday at Bryce Canyon National Park to celebrate and raise awareness for the once-endangered species, and the large part Utah Prairie Dogs play in the state’s ecosystem. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources coordinated the event with the park, where Petey the prairie dog joined a group […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/iiIPZ #DogNews #Home, #KSLTVCom, #KSLTVComUtahNews, #Sports, #TalkAndCommunity, #Traffic, #Weather

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.18 (after 1930)

1940 – World War II: German leader Adolf Hitler and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disastrous Italian invasion of Greece. 1943 – World War II: Battle of Berlin: Four hundred and forty Royal Air Force planes bomb Berlin causing only light damage and killing 131. The RAF loses nine aircraft and 53 air crew. 1944 – The Popular Socialist Youth is founded in Cuba. 1947 – The Ballantyne's Department Store fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 41; it is the worst fire disaster in the history of New Zealand. 1949 – The Iva Valley Shooting occurs after the coal miners of Enugu in Nigeria go on strike over withheld wages; 21 miners are shot dead and 51 are wounded by police under the supervision of the British colonial administration of Nigeria. 1961 – United States President John F. Kennedy sends 18,000 military advisors to South Vietnam. 1963 – The first push-button telephone goes into service. 1970 – U.S. President Richard Nixon asks the U.S. Congress for $155 million in supplemental aid for the Cambodian government. 1971 – Oman declares its independence from the United Kingdom. 1978 – The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet makes its first flight, at the Naval Air Test Center in Maryland, United States. 1978 – In Jonestown, Guyana, Jim Jones leads his Peoples Temple to a mass murder–suicide that claimed 918 lives in all, 909 of them in Jonestown itself, including over 270 children. 1983 – Aeroflot Flight 6833 is hijacked en route from Tbilisi to Leningrad. After returning to Tibilisi, the aircraft is subsequentially raided on the ground, resulting in seven deaths. 1987 – King's Cross fire: In London, 31 people die in a fire at the city's busiest underground station, King's Cross St Pancras. 1991 – Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon release Anglican Church envoys Terry Waite and Thomas Sutherland. 1991 – After an 87-day siege, the Croatian city of Vukovar capitulates to the besieging Yugoslav People's Army and allied Serb paramilitary forces. 1991 – The autonomous Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia, which would in 1993 become a republic, was established in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 1993 – In the United States, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is approved by the House of Representatives. 1993 – In South Africa, 21 political parties approve a new constitution, expanding voting rights and ending white minority rule. 1996 – A fire occurs on a train traveling through the Channel Tunnel from France to England causing several injuries and damaging approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) of tunnel. 1999 – At Texas A&M University, the Aggie Bonfire collapses killing 12 students and injuring 27 others. 2002 – Iraq disarmament crisis: United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix arrive in Iraq. 2003 – The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules 4–3 in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and gives the state legislature 180 days to change the law making Massachusetts the first state in the United States to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples. 2012 – Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria becomes the 118th Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. 2013 – NASA launches the MAVEN probe to Mars. 2020 – The Utah monolith, built sometime in 2016 is discovered by state biologists of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

[rogersip]

The Archery Trade Association (ATA)

The Archery Trade Association (ATA) is a membership association that represents manufacturers and retailers of archery products. There are several ways to join the ATA. Some of the most basic methods involve becoming a retailer or manufacturer. Other methods include registering for the association's trade shows. In addition, ATA offers members the MyATA Member Dashboard to manage their membership account.

Basic Manufacturer

There is a lot of snark out there about archery, but a little research reveals that the industry is a highly regulated and tightly knit nirvana. This nirvana is best exemplified by the archery trade association (ATA). ATA has a membership of over 600 manufacturers, distributors and dealers. It represents all the major players in the game. ATA is the chief conservation officer for the industry. The ATA has helped to link up archery brands like Easton Technical Products with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

One of the ATA's most notable feats is the Partner with a Payer program. Through this program, archery manufacturers are matched with state agency staff members to help develop an understanding of how state agencies operate. Not only does this reduce the risk of product liability, but it also reduces regulatory overhead by ensuring that the manufacturers are doing all they can to comply with the law.

Basic Retail

The Archery Trade Association (ATA) offers a variety of programs to help retail archery range owners. These programs include the ATA ePRO software package, which is specifically designed to help archery retailers run more efficiently. It also helps increase customer service and the perceived value of your products.

ATA also sponsors several other activities to benefit the industry, including the ATA Trade Show, which is the bowhunting industry's largest and longest-running trade show. During this three-day event, over 10,000 attendees and 615 vendors come together to learn and trade. ATA also provides consultation services, on-demand educational videos, and other resources.

If you're an archery retailer, you'll need to get your store up and running. You'll also need to decide what kind of equipment to sell. Your inventory is crucial to your economic success.

One of the easiest ways to find customers is to put up an ATA store locator. This free tool is easy to set up and can send new customers to your door.

MyATA Member Dashboard

MyATA Member Dashboard is a platform that helps archery trade association (ATA) members to get the most out of their membership. This online self-service directory gives ATA members access to member resources, including the ability to renew membership. It also provides tools for improving business practices.

The ATA Member Dashboard is easy to use and has step-by-step instructions that can guide users through the process. Members can search for information by membership category or product category. They can browse specials and register for events.

Aside from being a convenient tool, the dashboard offers hundreds of free downloadable resources. These include guides, comprehensive guides, videos and more. In addition, members can work with ATA staff.

ATA members have access to the Retail Growth Interact community, which is a great place to discuss business issues, share ideas and find new solutions. This community is also a great source of insight into buying trends and profit margins.

Connections Celebration

If you are an ATA member, you will be excited to learn that you have a chance to attend the upcoming ATA Connections Celebration. This event is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2020. There, you can enjoy free food, drinks, and entertainment. You can also meet other industry professionals. These events offer a great way to network with other archery experts.

During this event, you will have the opportunity to test new products from ATA's exhibitors. It's a great way to check out new arrows and bows. In addition, you can use the designated shooting lanes. Archery professionals will teach you about various equipment tips. At the end of the day, you can take a photo with the archery pros, which you can display in your store.

Throughout the Connections Celebration, ATA will honor several award recipients. The ATA Impact Award was presented to Steve VanZile, who is a trainer of archery schools and schools that teach bowhunting. He accepted the award.

[astonishinglegends]

Ep 196: The Christmas Monolith and the Warminster Thing

"The air was brazenly filled with a menacing sound. Sudden vibrations came overhead, chilling in intensity. They tore the quiet atmosphere to raucous rags and descended upon her savagely. Shockwaves pounded at her head, neck and shoulders."

– Descriptions of the “Thing” by Arthur Shuttlewood, as reported in his book, The Warminster Mystery

Description:

In a rare dual-subject episode for us, we take a look at two somewhat Christmas-themed stories, the mysterious yet not-so-mysterious "Utah Monolith" and the Warminster "Thing." In the first part of the show, we discuss the recent discovery of a 9.8-foot-tall metal triangular prism-shaped pillar we've dubbed "The Christmas Monolith." This story made the rounds after state biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spotted the out-of-place-artifact while conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter over San Juan County in southeastern Utah on November 18, 2020. Two days later, the Utah Department of Public Safety posted a photo of the monolith on Instagram, with more pictures and videos of the puzzling pillar to follow. The internet and media outlets were soon abuzz with speculation about who, human, alien, or otherwise, would've illegally planted the iconic looking structure in such a remote red sandstone slot canyon in the middle of nowhere and why. Other metal columns have appeared in Romania and California, prompting the question, are these pranks, artworks, a message, or perhaps all three? The second part of our show tonight examines a freakish "flap" of High Strangeness that's so fantastic in its details and so widely experienced at the time that it's baffling why the story has mostly become forgotten. Generally considered to have gotten its start in the early hours of Christmas morning in 1964, this saga of shocking incidents in hindsight seems to have only publically peaked on December 25th and continued well into the following year, and only gradually declined in the decade to follow. The holiday literally started with a bang for the residents of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire County in southwestern England. Numerous citizens and British soldiers training nearby awoke to a medley of piercing, thundering, clattering, metallic noises in the sky and on their rooftops, the nature of which nearly defies description. The strange and untraceable sounds would continue to accost the townsfolk, with some reporting these sonic attacks were so violent it threw them to the ground and sickened their pets. As 1965 wore on, the unearthly rackets would eventually coincide with sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena and craft so unique they sound unusual even for a UFO wave. And what bouillabaisse of the bizarre would be complete without cattle disappearances, freaky interstellar messengers, and tall, humanoid-alien visitors? Warminster had it all. All told, this series of strangeness was so beyond comprehension, and with no vocabulary to satisfactorily describe it, the phenomena became simply known as the Warminster "Thing."

Location:

The former site of the “Utah Monolith” a.k.a. “The Christmas Monolith.” The 9.8-foot tall metal prism-shaped triangular pillar was discovered on November 18, 2020, in a red sandstone slot canyon in the former Lockhart Basin in northern San Juan County, Utah. The structure was spotted by state biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources while conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter. The monolith was seen being removed by four unknown men on November 27, 2020. If you zoom in all the way on the above map you can see its shadow.

Location:

The town of Warminster in the western part of Wiltshire county in southwestern England. Warminster sits on the western edge of Salisbury Plain, famous for the standing stones of Stonehenge and Avebury as well as other ancient landmarks, and known as “crop circle country.” Wiltshire is also home to training facilities for the British military.

Reference Links:

The “Utah Monolith” on Wikipedia

“The Warminster ‘Thing’: UFOs and Supernatural Disturbances in ‘Small Town England’” by “MirageMan” on AboveTopSecret.com

The UFO-Warminster website

The timeline of events on the UFO-Warminster website

“The mystery of Warminster's 'UFO'“ By Kevin Goodman on the BBC News website

“UFO called “The Thing” celebrates 50th anniversary in Warminster” on OpenMinds.tv

“BBC Documentary on the Warminster UFO Flap” on AboveTopSecret.com

“1964, United Kingdom, The Warminster Thing (UFO)” on UFOCasebook.com

Warminster, a town in southwestern England

Wiltshire County, England

“10 Unsolved Christmastime Mysteries” by Robin Warder on Listverse.com

SPECIAL OFFERS FROM OUR SPECIAL SPONSORS:

FIND OTHER GREAT DEALS FROM OUR SHOW’S SPONSORS BY CLICKING HERE!

The Great Courses Plus – There are so many benefits to lifelong learning, which is why we love The Great Courses Plus! Learn about virtually anything, now with over 11,000 lectures on almost any subject you can think of – from history and science to learning a new language, how to play an instrument, learn magic tricks, train your dog, or explore topics like food, the arts, travel, business, and self-improvement. And all taught by world-leading professors and experts in their field. Their app lets you download and listen to only the audio from the courses or watch the videos, just like a podcast. Switch between all your devices and pick up right where you left off. Available for iOS and Android. Take it from us, a subscription to The Great Courses Plus is a fantastic holiday gift idea for everyone on your list this year! So no matter who’s on your list, you can’t go wrong with The Great Courses Plus. Learn more about gift subscriptions by visiting our special URL today: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/LEGENDS. And while you’re there, start your own journey with a 14-day FREE TRIAL!

Skylight – The holidays are just around the corner. Are you looking for a way to stay connected with loved ones during the holidays? Many of us are separated from extended family members these days, especially the older ones. But now there’s a great way for all of us to feel connected and loved, and that’s with a Skylight Frame. Skylight Frame is a digital photo frame that you can update instantly by email from anywhere. It’s a great way to feel close to those you love even when you’re separated. It sets up effortlessly in under 60 seconds! Just plug it in, use the touch screen to connect to your wireless network, and enjoy! Sending photos to Skylight is effortless – any chosen family member or friend can just email them to a personal Skylight email address, and they’ll pop up in seconds, so it’s a great way to keep large networks feeling in touch and less lonely. Skylight comes in a black frame and white matte, and with a gorgeous 10” touch screen, it’s a beautiful touch to any home. You can swipe through photos with your finger and even tap to thank the person who sent a photo. It’s 100% satisfaction guaranteed and if you don’t love your Skylight, they’ll offer you a FULL refund. You can pre-load it with your favorite photos for a personalized gift! And right now, as a special offer, you can get $10 OFF your purchase of a Skylight Frame when you go to SkylightFrame.com and enter the Promo Code “Legends”

FightCamp – Most workouts are not that exciting. But there really is nothing more exciting and engaging than learning boxing and kickboxing. And that’s exactly why people are saying that FightCamp is the only workout they’ve stuck with. FightCamp provides boxing and kickboxing workouts and tutorials that keep you engaged, learning, excited, and motivated… a program that’s never boring, and always challenging! FightCamp brings the boxing gym to your living room with a tech twist! They provide all the gear, top trainers, and a new technology that tracks your punches – everything you need to get great workouts in! The boxing workout has always been ranked as one of the best ways to get in shape and it's honestly one of the most fun ways to combine cardio and strength training. They provide everything to start boxing from home, which means amazing at-home boxing equipment along with new boxing and bodyweight workouts released every week. It’s the perfect at-home workout for anyone. For men, women, even families, and great for all fitness levels. You’ll love it! And with the FightCamp punch tracking tech, you can see your progress, work on your technique and compete with others or more importantly your past self. It’s also a great holiday gift! FightCamp allows you to pay over time, with Affirm financing you can get your FightCamp set up right away, make easy monthly payments over 24 months, and it’s yours to keep at the end! Plus, you save on commute time and gas, if your gym is even open these days. And since you can have up to five accounts per household, you can get a full boxing gym for the whole house to use! FightCamp offers flexible financing for as low as zero percent APR and zero dollars down! And right now as a limited-time holiday offer, get FREE SHIPPING and a gift valued up to $109 with every FightCamp package. Just go to JoinFightCamp.com/LEGENDS.

Best Fiends – If you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time while engaging your brain and enjoying breathtaking visuals and a gripping story, your answer is Best Fiends! Best Fiends is a casual, matching puzzle game that the whole family can play, but really made for adults, and you don’t need to be a gamer to be great at it! You can also play it the way YOU want to, wherever you want, and as much or as little as you want! Collect cute and funny cryptid-like insect creatures while battling silly slugs as you advance through stages in the Best Fiends world. Connect with friends and family through Social Media and challenge them to beat your levels or help them along. This unique puzzle game doesn’t require the internet, so it’s great to play offline while traveling or commuting, and Best Fiends has thousands of levels already, with new levels, events, and characters added every month – it’s hours of fun right at your fingertips and it never gets old! With over 100 million downloads and tons of five-star reviews, Best Fiends is a must-play! Download for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. That’s FRIENDS without the “R,” Best Fiends!

Miller High Life – When we realize how crazy the world can get, it’s the simple joys in life and “every day wins” that call for a celebration. Just safely getting together with friends and family to enjoy each other’s company should be a moment to cherish; to relax, to have a beer, and some laughs. Miller High Life was created over 100 years ago so that everyone could enjoy the good life, the “High Life,” with a high-quality, unpretentious beer that was within everyone’s reach. With a crisp, refreshing taste and tiny bubbles, it’s been known as “The Champagne of Beers” from its start on New Years’ Eve in 1903. It’s been faithfully brewed the same way ever since, and this summer, Miller High Life will help you raise a toast to celebrate life’s simple, special moments with their limited-edition champagne cans, in stores now. Miller High Life, The Champagne of Beers. A quality beer within everyone’s reach. *Celebrate Responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI.

Credits:

Episode 196: The Christmas Monolith and the Warminster Thing.  Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2020 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

[nowthisnews]

In 2018, Utah officials spent $5 million building a special bridge for wildlife to cross a busy stretch of I-80 outside Salt Lake City. 2 years later, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources proudly shared a video showing a variety of wildlife making use of the bridge

follow @nowthisnews for daily news videos & more

[rabbitcruiser]

Strawberry Valley, UT (No. 5)

Strawberry Reservoir was poisoned (chemically treated) in 1990 to kill all aquatic life in the lake in attempt to get rid of trash fish, specifically the Utah chub. Shortly after replanting the fish, Utah Chub began to appear. The DWR (Division of Wildlife Resources) found that the Bonneville Cutthroat trout (Bear Lake Strain) was a very aggressive chub-eating fish. The DWR has used the Cutthroat trout to keep the number of Chub down in the lake. The fishing and angling regulations for Strawberry are very strict regarding the possession, release and quantity of Native Cutthroat an angler is allowed to keep.

As of 2008 all Cutthroat between 15 inches (380 mm) to 22 inches (560 mm) in length are required to be released back into the water, regardless of the health of the fish. However, anglers are continually encouraged to voluntarily release all cutthroat trout, regardless of size. Additionally, the 2021 DWR regulations for the waterbody indicate that "Any trout with cutthroat characteristics (not necessarily jaw slashing) is considered to be a cutthroat trout."

Clearing of the banks of the reservoir's major tributary, the Strawberry River, over the course of the 20th century for grazing purposes has caused naturally occurring phosphorus to become washed into the river and deposited in levels unhealthy to wildlife in the reservoir. An extensive restoration program to re-plant grasses and trees along the banks of the entire river was expected to be completed in 2010. However, the project did not reach completion until 2019. The USFS will continue to monitor the area for weeds and weed treatments will continue, as needed. To improve sage grouse nesting and brood-rearing habitats, these areas will be accessed and treatments will be proposed where appropriate. Grazing will still be allowed where it is currently in place.

Source: Wikipedia              

[warcrimesimulator]

Utah state officials have captured a live wolverine and fitted it with a GPS collar for the first time ever in the state. These rare animals have only had eight confirmed sightings in Utah since 1979, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). "It's amazing to get a chance to see a wolverine in the wild, let alone catch one," DWR Northern Region Wildlife Manager Jim Christensen says in a statement. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

[activists-hope]

In an effort to reduce accidents involving wildlife on a busy highway, Utah officials got creative: they built a bridge. New video shows the plan has been a success.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources built the bridge back in 2018 over Interstate 80 to reduce traffic accidents in Parleys Canyon caused by wandering animals. Last week, the agency released a video of the bridge in use -- aiding moose, porcupines, deer and even bears across the busy highway.

"It's working!" officials posted on Facebook. "Thanks to the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah State University for monitoring the Parley's Canyon wildlife overpass this year. As you can see, the 2nd year of this overpass has been successful at helping wildlife safely migrate over busy Interstate 80 and helping motorists be much safer as well. Please keep off of this overpass. Thanks!"

[muthur9000]

2020 giving us more of the bizzare Via CNN Officers from the Utah Department of Public Safety's Aero Bureau were flying by helicopter last Wednesday, helping the Division of Wildlife Resources count bighorn sheep in southeastern Utah, when they spotted something that seemed right out of "2001: A Space Odyssey." Read more here: https://ift.tt/2UWDP0s posted on Instagram - https://instagr.am/p/CH_B6vqAKQm/

[kenyatta]

On November 18, 2020, the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau was working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to conduct a count of big horn sheep in a portion of southeastern Utah.

While on this mission, they spotted an unusual object and landed nearby to investigate further.

The crew members found a metal monolith installed in the ground in a remote area of red rock.

The crew said there was no obvious indication of who might have put the monolith there.

[hummingzone]

Thousands Of Fish Are Dropped From Plane Into Lake In Mesmerizing Video

Thousands Of Fish Are Dropped From Plane Into Lake In Mesmerizing Video

Wildlife officials in Utah restocked lakes across the state last week by giving some fish a free skydiving session. A viral video released by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources this month shows one of the agency’s planes flying over a lake by Utah’s Boulder Mountain on July 6. Suddenly, the plane’s hatch opens and out tumble thousands of young brook trout and tiger trout (called…

[bard-owl]

December 2018

June 2019

November 2020

A few different articles about a neat approach to reduce wildlife related traffic accidents. I'm glad to see it's had positive results.

[rjzimmerman]

From the Twitter of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources:

Capture season kicks off Nov. 28 — so don't be alarmed if/when you see ungulates (mostly deer, pronghorn and bighorn sheep) dangling from helicopters! Animals will receive health assessments and some will get collars.

Excerpt from this story from Outsider:

On Tuesday, Utah wildlife officials told people not to be alarmed if they see big game animals dangling in the sky attached to helicopters in an unintentionally amusing tweet.

In February, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources published an explanation for the strange sight of animals frequently flown by helicopter. In addition, it warned that the practice would begin later this year in late November.

Right on time, the DWR will start sending teams out in helicopters on Saturday as part of a wildlife survey. In fact, the DWR will bring in upwards of 1,000 big game animals over the coming months. Some of the animals weigh more than 200 pounds. Therefore, the helicopters will transport them easier and quicker than if they are moved by automobile.

The DWR’s article stated that the animals are “typically caught by a helicopter crew that uses a net gun.” Subsequently, the animals are later safely released after they are tested for any health issues. The DWR will place GPS collars on some of the animals for further monitoring.

If they weren’t being relocated to provide a more convenient location for hunters, I wouldn’t be so bothered. But you know that’s what’s going on: deference to hunters and giving them an easier target. So let’s abuse the animals twice: dangle them from a helicopter hundreds of feet up, then shoot them after they’ve been collared and settled down. So American.

[sciencespies]

Animals Are Using Utah's Largest Wildlife Overpass Earlier Than Expected

https://sciencespies.com/news/animals-are-using-utahs-largest-wildlife-overpass-earlier-than-expected/

Animals Are Using Utah's Largest Wildlife Overpass Earlier Than Expected

Why did the moose cross Interstate 80? Because three-and-a-half miles of fencing guided it to Utah’s largest wildlife overpass.

Utah’s Department of Transportation completed the bridge in 2018, and new video from the state’s Division of Wildlife Resources shows dozens of animals using it to cross safely above six lanes of traffic, Leah Asmelash reports for CNN.

The overpass is 50 feet wide and 320 feet long, and its location was picked strategically based on animals’ migratory patterns, according to Atlas Obscura. Experts originally anticipated that local wildlife could take years to get used to the new, animal-friendly infrastructure, UDOT spokesman John Gleason told Park Record’s Angelique McNaughton in 2018. But in the last two years, cameras placed along the bridge’s guardrail captured footage of not only the expected deer, moose and elk, but also predators and small mammals.

Utah plans to conduct a full analysis of how the bridge has improved safety for wildlife—and people—after it’s been open for three to five years.

In a video posted on Facebook on November 19, viewers can watch moose, deer and elk trot across the bridge. In other clips, black bears wander up and down the path. And in another segment, a bobcat carries a small mammal in its mouth while walking across the bridge at night. Boulders and logs are strewn across the bridge to help it blend in with the landscape on either side and encourage animals to use it. And the animals do—a camera captured a big cat scratching and stretching on one of the logs.

“As you can see, the 2nd year of this overpass has been successful at helping wildlife safely migrate over busy Interstate 80 and helping motorists be much safer as well,” Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources writes in the video’s caption.

In the two years before the overpass was built, UDOT recorded 106 collisions between vehicles and animals, which killed 98 deer, three moose, two raccoons, two elk and one cougar, per Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Tribune. The count led the non-profit organization Save People Save Wildlife to dub the road section “Slaughter Row,” reports Park Record. The wildlife overpass was built as part of a larger UDOT project that also added a climbing truck lane and replaced several miles of asphalt.

The overpass incorporates over three miles of fencing stretching in both directions away from the bridge in order to guide wildlife toward the safe point to cross. After one year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources was surprised to see that cougars, coyotes, and yellow-bellied marmots had joined deer and moose crossing the bridge. This year’s footage shows bears and porcupines joined the mix.

“It’s great to see so many different animals using the overpass,” said Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason to the Salt Lake Tribune in 2019.

The benefit is not just to animals, but to drivers as well. Gleason continued, “From what we can tell, the number of accidents there is down dramatically. At least initially, it appears the investment in safety is paying off. And we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it, so this is great.”

It will be a few more years until Utah has its official results of the I-80 overpass. But studies of wildlife crossings in Florida, Australia and Mexico have shown that they save both human and animal lives by preventing collisions.

“You can get reductions of 85 to 95 percent with crossings and fencing that guide animals under or over highways,” said Rob Ament, the road ecology program manager at the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University, to National Geographic’s Starre Vartan in 2019.

But Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources has repeatedly emphasized that the overpass is for animals only. Despite the warnings, guardrail cameras have spotted people walking and skiing across the new overpass, which is not only trespassing, but also puts people at risk of running into dangerous animals like moose, reported the Salt Lake Tribune.

“Please keep off of this overpass,” Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources notes in the new video’s caption. The point of the overpass, after all, is to keep people and wildlife at a safe distance.

#News