Connecting the Corridor — North Carolina Wildlife Corridor

Wildlife Signs

Wildlife signs are placed in areas prone to wildlife movement across roadways. These signs are beneficial in alerting motorists to be aware of specific animals that may appear near or crossing the roadway while simultaneously encouraging a reduction in vehicle driving speed in the area.

In conjunction with a mobile highway sign, an orange collar fitted with GPS technology and reflective strips help motorists spot Eastern North Carolina’s critically endangered red wolves along the roadways that fragment their habitat.

Photo provided by USFWS

Wildlife Crossings

Wildlife underpasses are a unique type of wildlife crossing that allows animals to safely traverse under a roadway system. Through tunnels, culverts, and designated areas underneath bridges, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles can find ways to safely navigate habitat fragmentation while helping humans avoid wildlife vehicle collisions.

Wildlife underpasses are currently being used across the state of North Carolina, but many more structures are needed in the future due to rapid human development and rising sea levels.

Wildlife overpasses, sometimes called wildlife or green bridges, are crossings built over roadways to allow larger land mammals to freely travel. These types of crossings help reduce vehicle collision injury and death in both animals and humans while also reducing vehicle damage costs. Efficacy of wildlife crossings have reduced wildlife vehicle collisions by up to 90%.

Conservationists and organizations are currently working to secure federal funding, finalize research and plans to break ground in building these types of wildlife crossings in the future.

Wildlife Fencing

In combination with wildlife crossing structures, fencing can increase success rates by helping wildlife navigate towards the designated area to travel across. Fencing can be customized in conjunction with both wildlife crossing underpasses and overpasses.

Wildlife fencing is currently being used in areas throughout the state of North Carolina where wildlife crossing structures are in existence.

Land Connection

Protecting and connecting lands through easements and/or land trusts are some of the ways that private lands can be allocated towards increasing habitat connectivity.