JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Motorists might want to take extra precautions when driving south of town on S Highway 89 as elk are on the move and learning to navigate new obstacles.
Recent highway construction includes ‘wildlife fencing’ along the S Highway 89 beginning at South Park Loop Road intersection and continuing south. The fencing helps funnel elk and other migratory animals to the underpass crossing.
The fencing baffled a handful of elk this morning as Highway Patrol parked alongside 5-6 elk that were caught on the highway side of the fencing in an attempt to rejoin their herd. It took a little while for the stranded elk to figure out they could simply jump a lower buckrail fence just a few yards north of where they were bunched up earlier today.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming Department of Transportation are asking motorists to be especially alert when traveling through a recent construction zone on Wyoming Highway 89 south of Jackson.
Construction crews are currently building a wildlife-proof fence that, when complete, will force wildlife to use the underpasses to safely cross under the highway. However, the fence is currently not complete so some animals, primarily elk, are finding their way into the highway right-of-way, but may not easily find a way back out.
Motorists are urged to use extreme caution through this stretch, especially in the coming weeks while elk are migrating to their traditional wintering areas.
“This fence and the crossing structures are all new for the migrating elk this fall and until the fence is complete and functioning properly, we’re all going to have to work together to try to avoid collisions with wildlife,” said South Jackson Game Warden Kyle Lash. “It will likely be a learning process for the animals for a year or two,” said Lash. “But when they figure out the safe crossings, it’s going to be a great thing for wildlife and motorists.”
