JACKSON, WY — After two separate moose fatalities in the same spot along Highway 22/390 last week, Wyoming Game and Fish (WGFD) released a public letter supporting Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) funding for wildlife crossings.
In a letter to Town Counselors, Game and Fish Wildlife Management Coordinator Doug McWhirter expressed “support for efforts to conserve wildlife crossings and ensure the functionality of vital habitats such as migration corridors.”
“Our staff often experience first–hand the aftermath of wildlife-vehicle collisions, and euthanizing injured animals as a result of collisions is one of the most disheartening and discouraging parts of our jobs,” the letter says.
The letter also cites grim statistics about wildlife fatalities caused by vehicle collisions: at least 200-350 animals are killed each year on Teton County roadways, according to Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation’s Vehicle Collision Report.
The letter comes just in time to be considered at a final Joint Information Meeting Tuesday, June 11. Town Counselors and Teton County Commissioners will hear further public comment about SPET ballot measures, which include a $15 million project for wildlife crossings.
The letter concludes: “We appreciate the attention and focus currently being directed at the issue of wildlife crossings, and we look forward to continuing to be engaged in this collaborative work.”
If you have thoughts to share, a special SPET-specific Joint Information Meeting is scheduled for today, June 11, at 6 p.m. in the town building (150 E Pearl).
