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I know many of us have gotten this text: “I just hit a deer.” We know the ensuing worry and string of questions: Are you OK? Did anyone get injured? Did the deer survive? Do you need me to come pick you up?
And I don’t know about you, but once the initial concerns have passed, I find myself asking, why does this keep happening? And how can we prevent it from continuing?
In recent years in Maine, there have been more than 6,000 vehicle collisions annually with deer, which can result in injury and death for both animals and people. In the United States, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill 200 people and injure 26,000 every year, and they result in the death of millions of animals.
This doesn’t need to continue. Using wildlife crossings — like bridges, tunnels, and culverts — animals are able to safely cross our roads, reducing animal-vehicle collisions by 80% to 90%, sometimes even more. They are a reliable and economically effective way to prevent unnecessary collisions.
As Mainers, we need to protect ourselves and the incredible wildlife we often take for granted. We need to urge our members of Congress to support the Wildlife Crossings Program that will provide significant funding to invest in wildlife crossings across Maine and the rest of the country.
So, my fellow Mainers, let’s do our part to protect wildlife and save lives.
Lee Rusiecki
Freeport