Investigating Potential Solutions to the Barrier Effect of Interstate 80 on Pronghorn Movements

Pronghorn rely on long-distance migrations to access seasonal resources and mitigate the consequences of severe winters and droughts. When barriers sever routes to alternative habitats then pronghorn populations may decline as a result of loss of habitat. Wyoming highways and interstates include woven-wire right-of-way (ROW) fencing along the road. Such fencing can be effective deterrents to pronghorn and other ungulates from getting onto roads, which could otherwise pose a threat both to passengers and wildlife. However, this has also exacerbated the barrier effects faced by pronghorn. In this study, the authors sought to predict the most likely crossing locations for pronghorn across the Wyoming section of Interstate 80 (I80), given seasonal habitats and existing migratory habitat of pronghorn in southern Wyoming. The authors used a novel approach to develop connectivity models that assign the most likely estimates of movement costs as a function of landscape attributes to predict the probability of corridor use. By combining seasonal habitat predictions with connectivity models, the authors simulated the most probable locations of historical corridors used by pronghorn prior to the development of I80. The authors evaluated the accuracy of their predicted corridors using locations of pronghorn carcasses from attempted crossings, as well as trail camera counts of pronghorn using underpasses, and professional review by wildlife biologists. The results provide a large-scale assessment of pronghorn seasonal habitat, connectivity, and the identification of crossing structure locations that may best restore migratory behavior across a nearly impermeable barrier.

• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/56038
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Wyoming, Laramie

  Laramie, WY  United States  82071

  Wyoming Department of Transportation

  Cheyenne, WY  United States 
• Authors:
  • Robb, Benjamin S
  • 0000-0003-1419-3918
  • Rudd, William J
  • 0000-0001-5207-5854
  • Kauffman, Matthew J
  • 0000-0003-0127-3900
  • Hart, Thomas
  • 0000-0002-3246-7049
  • Gamo, Scott
  • 0000-0001-8672-3485
• Publication Date: 2021-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 52p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Connectivity; Fences; Forecasting; Location; Migration; Simulation; Underpasses; Ungulates; Wildlife; Wildlife crossings
• Identifier Terms: Interstate 80
• Geographic Terms: Wyoming
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01771716
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: WY-01/21, RS06218
• Contract Numbers: 1003849
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 21 2021 10:54AM