A video posted on Facebook in mid-November shows the outstanding success of the i-80 wildlife overpass in Utah, where you can watch elk, moose, small mammals, black bears, coyotes, and even what appears to be a porcupine safely cross a dangerous stretch of road.

For wildlife researchers, it demonstrates that the time it takes for animals to adapt to using wildlife overpasses may be years shorter than first anticipated.

"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," Utah DoT spokesman John Gleason told the Salt Lake Tribune in 2019. "And we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it, so this is great."

Completed in 2018 by Utah's Dep. of Transportation and costing $5 million, the wildlife overpass was lobbied for by a group called Save People Save Animals, after a particular stretch of i-80 was unfortunately dubbed "Slaughter Row" due to the large number of traffic collisions with crossing wildlife.

The bridge incorporates miles of fencing in both directions on both sides of the road, funneling mammals to the bridge which is covered in soil, boulders, and logs to make it feel like a natural environment.

Not only are the animals using it instead of crossing the highway further down the corridor, but they are treating it like their natural habitat. A cougar was recorded scratching and stretching on one of the logs, which it wouldn't do in a stressed state.

For wildlife researchers, it demonstrates that the time it takes for animals to adapt to using wildlife overpasses may be years shorter than first anticipated.

"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," Utah DoT spokesman John Gleason told the Salt Lake Tribune in 2019. "And we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it, so this is great."

Completed in 2018 by Utah's Dep. of Transportation and costing $5 million, the wildlife overpass was lobbied for by a group called Save People Save Animals, after a particular stretch of i-80 was unfortunately dubbed "Slaughter Row" due to the large number of traffic collisions with crossing wildlife.

The bridge incorporates miles of fencing in both directions on both sides of the road, funneling mammals to the bridge which is covered in soil, boulders, and logs to make it feel like a natural environment.

Not only are the animals using it instead of crossing the highway further down the corridor, but they are treating it like their natural habitat. A cougar was recorded scratching and stretching on one of the logs, which it wouldn't do in a stressed state.

Collisions with cars are a real danger to millions of animals, but even 15 years ago, there were already more than 700 terrestrial and aquatic wildlife crossing points in North America, with more and more being built every year, including the largest in the world to help California's isolated mountain lion populations, which is to be completed in 2021.

(WATCH the video showing the wildlife crossings so far.)

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