The Cellar Image of the Day

According to one article, these were created so that man and beast could better live in harmony.
Apparently there were many accident expected so this was built to allow the migration without
the animals having to cross the highway.

I've been rewatching The West Wing again this week, and (having seen these photos somewhere on the interwebz already) immediately thought of these pics, when this scene came up. Funny coincidence that you'd post them here now!

Quote:

Originally Posted by The West Wing, Season 1, Episode 5, The Crackpots and These Women

MAN 2: May we tell you what we propose?
C.J.: Sure.
MAN: The wolves-only roadway.
C.J.: [surprised] The wolves-only roadway?
MAN: Eighteen hundred miles from Yellowstone to the Yukon Territory complete with highway overpasses and no cattle grazing.
C.J.: [still surprised] An 1800-mile wolves-only roadway?
WOMAN: Pluie, you’ll recall, had to...
C.J.: Hang on. How are you gonna teach wolves to follow road signs?
MAN 2: Our scientists are working on a plan.
C.J.: Yeah, but in the meantime, Pluie’s gonna get drunk and wander off the wolves-only road and end up eating my cat.
MAN 1: [scoffs] We don’t think that’ll happen.
C.J.: I don’t think this is gonna happen. [indicating the roadway]
JERRY: Perhaps, if we should...
C.J.: First of all, ranchers don’t want wolves returned to the West.
MAN: Ranchers are killers.
C.J.: No, they’re not. And anyone who says it should take it back. Ranchers face the following conditions: falling stock prices, rising taxes, prolonged drought, and a country that’s eating less beef. Ranchers want to blame something, and because they’re ranchers, they want to fight something. I’d rather be a wolf than us, so unless Pluie registers to vote...
WOMAN: Pluie was shot and killed by a rancher in British Columbia last month.
The two men and the woman bow down their heads.
C.J.: I’m... sorry to hear that.
WOMAN: I’m not sure you are.
C.J.: [throat clearing] Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost?
MAN: That’s the beauty part. With contributions and corporate sponsorship, the cost to the taxpayer is only 900 million dollars.
C.J.: [laughs very hard] No, seriously, how much would it cost?
JERRY: C.J., if we’re gonna do this, why not do it right?
C.J.: We’re not gonna do it.
MAN: Sure, there are other things we could spend the money on.
C.J.: You think?
WOMAN: I’d like to hear what you think. What’s a better way to spend this money?
C.J.: Nine hundred million dollars?
WOMAN: Another war plane, another S&L Bailout?
C.J.: How about we build the nine best schools in the world?
MAN: Let’s... Let’s move on to the grizzly bear.

Possum crossing on the pacific highway:

Attachment 39734

Koalas pay extra tolls as heavy vehicles, I guess.

Quote:

LEO: Andrew Jackson, in the main foyer of his White House had a big block of cheese. The block of cheese was huge--over two tons. And it was there for any and all who might be hungry. Jackson wanted the White House to belong to the people, so from time to time, he opened his doors to those who wished an audience. It is in the spirit of Andrew Jackson that I, from time to time, ask senior staff to have face-to-face meetings with those people representing organizations who have a difficult time getting our attention. I know the more jaded among you, see this as something rather beneath you. But I assure you that listening to the voices of passionate Americans is beneath no one, and surely not the peoples’ servants.

JOSH: Sorry, we’re late. Is it “Total Crackpot Day” again?

Screaming inside ... (yes, yes, they're wildlife and shouldn't have to be flattened by vehicles ... shudder) ...

Oh, they're crabs? I thought they were ants at first.

Spexx - I need to set up an appt. These glasses aren't cuttin it anymore.

I heard on the radio today that Washington is the only state with an official state connectivity plan for wildlife

Quote:

WSDOT Secretary’s Executive Order 1031
Protections and Connections for High Quality Natural Habitats

“Washington State Department of Transportation, in partnership with other
agencies, organizations, and the public, must assure that road and highway
programs recognize, together with other needs, the importance of protecting
ecosystem health, the viability of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species, and
the preservation of biodiversity”

PA believes in personal freedom and responsibility, we just give 'em bus passes and let them be free.

We have animal underpasses in Victoria and in country New South Wales.

Originally built for dairy farmers who have property on both sides of the major highways, Kangaroos, Wombats and Foxes now use them regularly. There's no roadkill for a good distance on both sides....but they cost an absolute fortune to put in.

Just South of Noosa, Qld, is a motorway which cuts through a patch of bushland.

This has tunnels a few feet high under it ever kilometer or so, and there are fences all along the road to funnel the animals to the tunnels.

I never saw roadkill there, but I only drove there a few times at most.

Those fences will help with critters that seek the warmth of the pavement at night, also.

We have an issue of kangaroos creeping close to the edge of the road to eat the grass that gets extra water from the run-off from the road. They especially like to come into road cuttings where there is a ditch, which has the lushest grass and may even have water to drink.

Then a car comes and the roo panics. Roo panic behaviour is to bound along at full speed, keeping generally to open spaces, and make sudden swerves. Swerving is especially likely if The Danger is very close.

This works well with things like dingoes, but very badly when the open area is the road and swerving means you jump right in front of the car. In road cuttings this is almost inevitable because there is nowhere else to go.

Now remember that roos are nocturnal and this happens at night, so the driver can't see the roo until it is in the headlights, and then the roo is dazzled and can't see at all.

Driving lights and roo bars are popular car accessories in country Australia.

We have exactly the same problem with White Tailed deer, they'll leap right in front of you, and even into you.

I used to work for a company where the reps travelled a lot in rural areas.

One of them decided to get himself a Renault.

On his very first trip in it a roo got him. Wrote the car off.

Even the native animals don't like the French.

The main issue with Roos at nite are lights on high beam...they look like something the Roo needs to jump over...Roo jumps the beams and end up landing on the car, or getting cleaned up.

Those stupid Sho-Roos are pointless too....Mr Roo hears a squealing noise...pokes his head up to see what it is and then it's too late to bound away.