The Problem
75 miles East of San Diego, CA Interstate 8 bisects the Peninsular Mountain Range
Meet the In-Ko-Pah ewe group…
A subgroup of the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep that call these mountains home. They’re named after a canyon running through a 5-mile section of I-8 that splits around their lambing grounds.
Bighorn risk their lives and the lives of the next generation with every highway crossing to access critical resources. Drivers are also at risk when animals appear suddenly as cars speed over 65 mph around blind curves.
“This is a nursery, this is a kindergarten, this is a birthing room in a hospital…We need to protect the whole thing.”
Fraser Shilling, PhD, Director
U.C. Davis Road Ecology Center
The Solution
With funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board, our team will design a wildlife crossing to provide safe passage for bighorn sheep and other wildlife, enhancing public safety and connected landscapes.
The core project team includes biologists, advocates, engineers, and planners – working together to make a complex project a reality.
“Wildlife crossings paired with fencing are among the most effective conservation and safety tools available. They save lives on both sides of the windshield.”
Mari Galloway, California Program Director
Wildlands Network
Video rendering by Sahar Sadegh, UC Davis Road Ecology Center