According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, collisions between wildlife and vehicles have been on the rise in recent months.
Doug Brimeyer is the Deputy Chief of Wildlife for the Game and Fish and he says after so many winter storms, the deep snow is limiting winter forage, and so animals are being forced to look for food at lower elevations. Brimeyer said it’s easier for animals to travel where the snow has been plowed back, but that big snow banks on either side of the road, especially in parts of western Wyoming, can trap them.
“Sometimes those animals jump down into that, and then they don’t readily get back out and over the snow bank,” said Brimeyer.
“They’ll have to travel down the road a little ways before they find a spot to get out, and so we just ask people to be real conscientious when they’re driving.”
Brimeyer said slowing down and keeping an eye out for animals are the best ways to prevent collisions with wildlife.