Illinois road closed for snake migration shows need for wildlife crossings
Sometimes, roads close because of rain. Sometimes, roads close because of snow. And sometimes, roads close because of snakes.
Sometimes, roads close because of rain. Sometimes, roads close because of snow. And sometimes, roads close because of snakes. Forest Road 345 in southern Illinois is one of them. The byway, which runs through Shawnee National Forest, is currently shut to accommodate a snake migration.
Twice a year, authorities prevent cars from traversing a 2.7 mile portion of this route to protect the migration of almost two dozen species of snakes, which biologist Steve Widowski told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at one time looked like a heaving mass of spaghetti.
There are over 1 million collisions annually between drivers and large animals on American roads. These crashes take a dire toll: They kill 200 people each year and injure 26,000.
This Illinois forest is the only place in the U.S. where people can see a migration like this. But it’s common to come across other animals trying to cross the road (and not just chickens). Far too often, animals find themselves on streets that are open to traffic and end up being struck by vehicles — to the detriment of people as well as wildlife. Closing roads to protect wildlife can work for less-traveled routes like Forest Road 345, but there’s another option that can benefit human health, the economy and the environment all at the same time: wildlife crossings.
There are over 1 million collisions annually between drivers and large animals on American roads. These crashes take a dire toll: They kill 200 people each year and injure 26,000. Drivers in West Virginia have the greatest odds of hitting an animal, with a 1 in 37 chance of doing so every year. And the numbers aren’t a result of reckless driving; wildlife-vehicle collisions can happen simply when driving at a time and place in which animals are active.
Rating: 5