ITD reminds motorists to be on the alert for wildlife

With the changing seasons, the Idaho Transportation Department is reminding drivers to be alert for wildlife that may be migrating near highways, especially at higher elevations.

Wildlife movement occurs year-round; however, fall/early winter is one of the peak times for elk and deer migration due to hunting season and movement to more favorable habitats in preparation for the winter months. Dawn and dusk hours are also peak times when these animals may be traveling.

ITD reminds motorists to pay close attention to deer or elk near the side of a highway, as there may be several more in the immediate area. Using headlights and obeying speed limits is highly encouraged in an effort to avoid potential wildlife vehicle collisions. Remember to always wear your seat belt.

“Safety is our highest priority at ITD. Helping accurately identify areas where these collisions occur allows us to identify high-accident locations and to evaluate potential improvements to benefit motorists and wildlife,” said ITD Environmental Engineer Greg Vitley.

ITD and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game work together to collect data on wildlife collisions.

“If anyone is unlucky enough to have a collision with a big game animal, remember you can keep the animal to salvage the meat as long as you record it in the roadkill database,” said Fish and Game’s Wildlife Program Coordinator Gregg Servheen. “Even if you don’t salvage the animal, we encourage the general public to enter roadkill observations into the statewide database.”

This information is crucial in helping each agency document and identify potential ways of improving highway safety and reducing wildlife loss.