JACKSON, Wyo. — With fall migration underway, Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) highlighted the importance of intact wildlife corridors for animal survival.
According to GTNP, every year, mule deer, elk, pronghorn and countless bird species migrate to and from GTNP. In the fall, many animals move to their wintering grounds to access food, raise young, find mates and avoid harsh weather during the long, cold months.
Roads, fences, development and jurisdictional boundaries can “block routes that animals have followed for centuries,” per GTNP. The agency noted that migration only works if pathways, which can be hidden in plain sight, stay connected.
“Migration paths radiate from Jackson Hole in all directions, connecting the park to the far reaches of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond,” GTNP wrote via Facebook. “This 22-million-acre ecosystem is one of the most intact temperate ecosystems left on Earth, but it does not provide everything that every animal needs. From ospreys that fly to Cuba to pronghorn crossing mountain passes, these journeys are about survival.”
GTNP wrote that it takes federal and state agencies, landowners, residents and visitors all working together to help protect these animal highways.
