Wildlife need up to a mile or more of space between rural houses to migrate - High Country News

"Houses, even in the countryside, can be as harmful to migrating wildlife as energy development, highway crossings and fences, according to conservationists and researchers. But while highway dangers can be mitigated with over- and underpasses and fences can be retrofitted to be more wildlife-friendly, researchers didn't know how much space big game animals require when weaving through rural housing."

"Past research has detailed the harmful effects that human housing - including the fences, roads, dogs and increased traffic associated with it - has on a variety of big game. One study outlined how mule deer hurried through rural housing developments, not stopping for much-needed breaks to rest and eat, while another showed how migrating mule deer avoid densely packed houses."

"But none of those studies explain exactly how much space animals need to navigate between houses and other structures. It was with that in mind that University of Wyoming associate professor and migration researcher Jerod Merkle and a team of scientists first sat down with a Microsoft dataset showing the footprint of every building in the Co"

""We know residential development is a big threat for migration," said Jill Randall, Wyoming Game and Fish Department's big game migration coordinator, who was not involved in the study. The new research gives people working on planning and zoning or other building decisions the specific information they need, she said. "We've been really lacking that.""

Rural subdivisions can threaten elk, deer, moose, and pronghorn by preventing access to high-quality food and escape from harsh weather. Houses in countryside areas can be as harmful to migrating wildlife as energy development, highway crossings, and fences. While highways can be made safer with overpasses and underpasses and fences can be retrofitted to be wildlife-friendly, the amount of space big game animals require to move through rural housing was not well known. Researchers published findings that outline, in general and in some cases exactly, how much berth these animals give houses and other buildings. The results provide planning and zoning decision-makers with specific information to reduce migration impacts.

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