A Ministry of Transportation and Communications project to build wildlife crossings on eight of Taiwan’s national highways is reducing roadkill and saving drivers’ lives.
The three-year program, which began in 2008, saw the country’s first highway “animal underpasses” opened at the 286-kilometer mark of the Formosa Freeway in 2010. The 432-kilometer road runs north-south from Keelung City to Pingtung County.
“The initiative enables animals such as the Formosan gem-faced civet, bats and dogs to move safely,” said Wang Ai-yu, an official with the MOTC’s National Freeway Bureau, Jan. 10.
Built using underground culvert pipes, Wang said the crossings protect animals as well as drivers who might get into danger trying to avoid the unexpected pedestrians.
“Additional crossings will be constructed if deemed necessary by researchers studying the impact of road construction on the surrounding environment,” Wang said.
This is not the first wildlife-friendly project initiated by the MOTC. Since 2008, sections of the Formosa Freeway in Yunlin County have been closed off to protect thousands of purple crow butterflies during their early April migration season.
Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@mail.gio.gov.tw