Wildlife Corridors and Crossings
Native wildlife often migrate to different areas. Sometimes they move due to seasonal weather and mating patterns. Sometimes they move in search of food. Before roads were built, wildlife moved through their habitats in pathways called wildlife corridors. Now that roads exist in areas that have previously been used by wildlife as corridors, wildlife are routinely involved in collisions with cars. These collisions kill over 200 people per year and injure close to 30,000 more. Collisions cause over $6,000,000,000 in damages each year.
Engineers and conservation experts have studied various ways to reduce wildlife collisions with cars.
In some locations, warning signs alert motorists to be watchful for wildlife that may cross the roadway.
In other locations, fences have been placed along roadways, with gaps in the fences providing crossing spots for wildlife.
In yet other locations, fences have been placed along roadways, but instead of gaps in the fences, there are underpasses (crossings that go under the road) and overpasses (crossings that go over the road) to allow the wildlife to cross without directly interacting with traffic.
The following chart compares effectiveness of different strategies.
Question 1
12. From reading the passage above, why might communities want to invest in more effective collision-reduction strategies?(1 point)
Responses
Wildlife collisions are not a serious issue and only matter to local residents.
Wildlife collisions are not a serious issue and only matter to local residents.
The best systems are inexpensive or even free.
The best systems are inexpensive or even free.
Wildlife collisions injure and kill many people, and they cause lots of property damage.
Consider the chart showing collision reduction. From the data shown, which method probably provides the greatest improvement in safety for migratory wildlife whose natural corridors have been disrupted by roadways?(1 point)
Responses
The warning signs and the fences provide the same safety improvements for wildlife.
The warning signs and the fences provide the same safety improvements for wildlife.
The fences with underpasses and overpasses provide the greatest improvement in wildlife safety.
The fences with underpasses and overpasses provide the greatest improvement in wildlife safety.
Any design that includes fences will provide the same safety improvements for wildlife.
Any design that includes fences will provide the same safety improvements for wildlife.
There are no effective methods for improving wildlife safety.
To answer question 1, communities would want to invest in more effective collision-reduction strategies because wildlife collisions not only cause harm to animals but also have serious consequences for humans. The passage states that wildlife collisions kill over 200 people per year and injure close to 30,000 more. Additionally, these collisions result in over $6,000,000,000 in damages each year. Therefore, it is clear that wildlife collisions are a serious issue that affects both residents and the overall community.
To answer question 2, based on the data shown in the chart, the method that provides the greatest improvement in safety for migratory wildlife whose natural corridors have been disrupted by roadways is the fences with underpasses and overpasses. This can be deduced from the fact that this particular method shows the highest reduction in wildlife collisions compared to the other strategies mentioned. The warning signs and fences alone do not provide the same level of safety improvements, as indicated by the lower reduction percentages shown in the chart.
Therefore, the correct responses to the questions are:
Question 1: Wildlife collisions injure and kill many people, and they cause lots of property damage.
Question 2: The fences with underpasses and overpasses provide the greatest improvement in wildlife safety.