Preserving Wildlife Migration and Movement
The great wildlife migrations across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are unlike anywhere else. Elk, pronghorn, and deer ebb and flow across the ecosystem, driving the heartbeat of North America. Whether animals are migratory or simply need to move unencumbered throughout their range to meet their daily needs, connected landscapes are what keep Yellowstone’s wild inhabitants healthy and thriving.
These wide stretches of linked habitat are under persistent threat from fragmentation and degradation. Fences, roads, and trails bisect wildlife habitat and present an often-lethal barrier to movement. Human impacts and development reduce available resources and alter animal behavior, making wildlife more vulnerable and less likely to survive. Without connectivity, wildlife are in peril.
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition is committed to preserving connectivity and restoring the ability of wildlife to move within and across the landscape to meet their needs.
Our Migration and Movement News
How the Greater Yellowstone Coalition Supports Wildlife Migration and Movement
From advocating for wildlife crossing infrastructure that gives animals a safe way to cross roadways and installing wildlife-friendly fencing that allows wild animals to pass through without harm, to conducting outreach to promote understanding and build social tolerance for wild animals in the places they come into contact with people, GYC is engaged in a variety of efforts to ensure the landscape remains permeable and supports healthy, thriving populations of wildlife.
Advocating for Wildlife Crossings
One of the most effective, reliable, and durable solutions we can create is the building of wildlife crossings. With its massive ungulate population, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem experiences extremely high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Overpasses and underpasses with fencing that funnels wildlife to the crossing can reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by 80-97 percent, keeping wildlife and people alive and safe.
GYC works with partners across the region to advocate for and leverage diverse funding opportunities to implement wildlife crossing projects. Over the years, we have supported government agencies in securing grant funding, successfully advocated for tourism dollars to be put towards wildlife crossings, raised awareness about federal funding opportunities, and contributed funding directly and via partnerships with private foundations to support wildlife crossings. We believe wildlife crossings structures are a worthy investment in keeping the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem remarkable.
Photo Mark Gocke
Working on Wildlife-Friendly Fencing
Wildlife-friendly fencing is an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to habitat connectivity. By either removing fencing or modifying it for wildlife to pass through, we’re allowing elk, deer, pronghorn, and more to move freely across the ecosystem without becoming injured, killed, or cut off from important habitat. It’s a practical, low-cost, and high-impact solution.
Over the decades, GYC and its partners have removed or modified thousands of feet of fencing across the region. We host volunteer days to get locals involved and explore new innovative solutions like virtual fencing.
Our Wins and Progress for Migration and Movement
In 2022, the Dry Piney Connectivity Project was completed in Wyoming. The project consists of nine underpasses, 33 miles of fencing, and two miles of new road to ensure safe passage of wildlife along the 19-mile stretch of roadway. GYC assisted in raising the $17 million in funds needed to make this project a reality.
Since completing its first project in 2021, the Absaroka Fence Initiative and GYC have modified or removed over 228,000 linear feet of fencing. We’ve hosted several volunteer fencing days near Cody, Wyoming where locals join us to make fencing more wildlife-friendly.
U.S. Highway 89 in Montana is a hot spot for wildlife-vehicle collisions. In 2024, GYC and our partners at Yellowstone Safe Passage received word that our proposal for two overpasses at the Dome Mountain priority site has been awarded state funding to complete a feasibility study. Sign up for our emails to follow this process from the ground up!
Learn About Future Montana Wildlife Crossing Efforts with GYC’s Nick Clarke
Photo Mark Gocke
