Wildlife Corridors

[Jez]

Some sad facts coming from Springwatch that 1/6th of Badgers die on the roads from our motorized transportation alone, and what about the others- Foxes, rabbits, weasels, stoats, squirrels, frogs etc. Could more be done do reduce the amount of deaths to the UKs Wildlife population. What do you think?

[Hedge Witch]

Option one is the only option for me. Unless someone comes along to say "that'll never work......".

[RoyW]

Unfortunately I think that the vast majority of the UK (and possibly world) population would go with option three. Sadly wildlife is very low on most peoples agenda - it's up to WAB members (and anyone else who is interested) to try and educate the population about the valley of wildlife and change attitudes!

If you don't know anything about it, then it doesn't matter.

Roy.

Edit; My vote - It depends on where the roads are for exact details, but more thought should be given to wildlife when new roads are constructed.

[Pete84]

i think the whole thing about wildlife corridors should be expanded so that fully functioning ecological corridors with no man made barriers cross the whole country enabling the free movement of wildlife. this will be vitally important to combat the wave of extinctions we may face due to climate change.

[agrumpycow]

I have opted for number one but, at risk of sounding very naive & stupid ) I don't understand how these under road corridors work. I presume it's a tunnel affair under the road but how would the animals be encouraged to use this rather that opt for crossing the road as they always have? (Shoot me if I'm missing something obvious !)

[treecreeper]

At any other time I would have voted 1 but the country is heading for bankruptcy. The ship is sinking and we need to throw overboard everything that isn't absolutely essential.

...having said that, if it's a competition between funding the badger tunnels or the diversity consultants, five-a-day champions and teenage pregnancy outreach liaison officers, I wonder which will win? Hollow laugh.

[hobble]

I would go for option one but that is me. I think if conservationists have proof of wildlife hot spots the government should enforce wildlife corridors at least in some places.
It is necessary for attention to be drawn to everyone about the movement of different wildlife and their habitats.
We are encouraged to provide wildlife in our gardens and people are getting the message, perhaps more education needs to provided so people are aware of the bigger picture and will support wildlife groups who can lobby the government to make a change.

[Jenny W]

Many species have suffered due to geographic and genetic isolation so wildlife corridors as mentioned here and habitat corridors are important aspects of conservation.

[Beekeeper]

The small cost of a underpass for wildlife is nothing compared to how much this country wastes throwing money at tin pot dictatorships around the world supposedly as food and medical aid when in reality it funds weapons and lavish lifestyles of the leaders of those countries, that and of course illegal immigrants.

Our wildlife species cannot help themselves so as we have destroyed their habitats in a great many places it is up to us to put things right as far as we can.

We are the only species on this earth to destroy our own enviroment, all other species be it insect, fish, bird or mammal live within it.

BK

[Jez]

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

I have opted for number one but, at risk of sounding very naive & stupid ) I don't understand how these under road corridors work. I presume it's a tunnel affair under the road but how would the animals be encouraged to use this rather that opt for crossing the road as they always have? (Shoot me if I'm missing something obvious !)

Yep your quite right grumps, it is a tunnel affair minus conveyor belt lol! How are animals encouraged to use them I can't be certain for sure but the fact that you stand no chance of your limbs being crunched and you haven't the need to even to try and challenge the road would seem the better option. My uncle in Wales has seen the great success of these tunnels and it's no hardship to roll these in and pave over and keep the road free from carnage, surely thats got to be far better on the psyche?!?