Colorado US 160 Chimney Rock Wildlife Mitigation Monitoring Project

The Colorado US 160 Chimney Rock Wildlife Mitigation Monitoring Project

This study examines the effectives of wildlife mitigation measures placed along US 160 at the Chimney Rock area of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe lands. With Reconyx brand wildlife monitoring cameras, the researchers are examining the effectiveness of the overpass and underpass for use by elk and mule deer; how the escape ramps are used or not used by wildlife; how wildlife may be going around fence ends and how an erosion control netting may impede animals from entering the fenced road right-of-way; and if wildlife are deterred by a wildlife guard (double cattle guard) where SR 151 ends at US 160. The research will also examine wildlife-vehicle crashes and carcasses over time to evaluate the drop in these rates after mitigation was placed. The Wildlife Connectivity Institute researchers are working with Southern Ute Indian Tribe wildlife ecologists to collect the data and make recommendations to Colorado DOT on what is working and adaptative management of the infrastructure.

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Videos of Wildlife

Elk use the US 160 Overpass in their November 2023 migration