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Dear John,

We thought we were just installing cameras to confirm a hunch about a few box turtles using an underpass. Instead, we discovered a hidden highway, under the roadway, bustling with life—and proof that animals have been trying to tell us something all along. 

When we learned about a project in Gorges State Park in western North Carolina a few years ago, it piqued our interest. When Gorges was first established in 1999, park leadership had the foresight to install small underpasses for animals at a few points along the main entry road, hoping to reduce the impact of visitor traffic on rattlesnakes, box turtles, and other species. But since no one ever monitored the culverts, the park had no idea if the structures were even being used or if they were successfully keeping animals off the road. That’s  where our team came in, led by my talented colleague, Dr. Liz Hillard.  

We quickly installed cameras to monitor these underpasses – and we were blown  away by what we found:  
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We identified a surprisingly wide range of small to medium local wildlife species using these structures, showing the huge impact these little passages were having to literally save animals’ lives. This included timber rattlesnakes, a species that plays a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by keeping small prey populations under control.   

This discovery from the cameras we installed there mirrored our findings across the Southeast. Animals want desperately to avoid roads and the dangers they pose. We just need to give them an opening, another route to take, so that they can cross safely.
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Our work in road ecology across the Southeast saves lives—both human and animal. For some species, like red wolves, preventing highway deaths is absolutely essential for staving off extinction. There are only 30 red wolves surviving in the wild today, and in recent years many have been getting struck by vehicles, often while investigating dead animals on the side of the road. Through our daily roadkill survey and removal efforts on US 64 in eastern North Carolina, we've helped keep these critically endangered animals off the highways. The proof? Zero red wolf deaths on US 64 in 2025. For a species this rare, that's not just a statistic—it's hope. 

Eventually, when crossings are built on that highway, thanks to our critical efforts to support NCDOT’s successful $25 million federal grant application, we’ll see permanent reductions in the loss of life for all kinds of species.  

What we now know is that safe passage structures benefit all animals. And Wildlands Network is helping shape policy, practice, and projects to keep more animals off our roads and on the landscape. 

Please  consider supporting this work today. Every dollar you give to Wildlands Network right now will be matched by our rewilding partners at Biophilia Foundation, up to $50,000.   
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Give for our smallest wild friends and we will give them the chance to survive and thrive.  

Sincerely,   

Ron Sutherland, PhD  

Chief Scientist & Southeast Program Director 
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P.S.Setting up a monthly, recurring donation to Wildlands Network is a great way to support this work on an ongoing basis and make a lasting impact. Learn more about this type of donation here! ([link removed])  

 

Your support makes a difference.
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