Squirrel bridge

A squirrel bridge is a construction (similar to a wildlife crossing) which enables small animals, especially squirrels and martens, to safely cross busy roadways. The bridges are a measure for wildlife management and natural habitat preservation, and serve the functions of both animal welfare and accident prevention. The Nutty Narrows Bridge in Longview, Washington, built in 1963, is regarded as the first of its kind.

Costs to construct squirrel bridges vary significantly, depending on construction. Simple rope bridge constructions, such as those in Brecht, Belgium, have cost only about 250 euros, while the bridge built in The Hague in 2013 took half a year to construct and cost 150,000-200,000 euros.

List of squirrel bridges

The following bridges protect the red squirrel, common in Europe, or the North American gray squirrel (either of which may be hunted as an invasive species depending on the continent).

ImageCountryPlaceYearType/NumberNotes
United States Arizona, Mount Graham 2010[1] 41 rope bridges Protects the Mount Graham Red Squirrel
United States Nutty Narrows Bridge, Longview, Washington 1963 Suspension bridge
Belgium Brussels, Ring 0 2013[2][3] Ropes/nets and steel pipe attached to a gantry
Belgium Brecht, Belgium, Andrélaan 2013[4] Two rope bridges
France La Rochelle, Parc Franck-Delmas/Parc d'Orbigny 2012[5] Rope bridge „Écureuilloduc“
Netherlands Rijksweg 12, Kilometer 73,90 2012[6]
Netherlands The Hague, Benoordenhoutseweg 2012[7][8] A camera monitoring the bridge has shown that squirrels largely ignore the bridge.[9]
Netherlands Amsterdam, Europaboulevard in Amstelpark 2011/2012[7][10] Parallel ropes connected to netting.
Netherlands Roermond, Heinsbergerweg 2013[11]
Germany Berlin-Friedrichshagen, Müggelseedamm 2014[12] Rope bridge
Germany Vlotho, Burgstraße 2012[13][14] Rope bridge
United Kingdom Scotland, Aberdeen 2008[15]
United Kingdom England, near Formby 2004[16] Rope bridge

Similar concepts for other species
ImageCountryPlaceYearType/NumberNotes
Australia Victoria, near Benalla 2007[17] Rope bridge For sugar gliders and possums
Australia Victoria, Longwood Rope bridge For sugar gliders and possums
Kenya Diani Beach 1997[18] about 200, rope ladder construction "Colobridges", for colobus monkeys

See also

References
  1. John Wetenhall: Arizona Spends $1.25M to Save 250 Squirrels abcnews.go.com, June 17, 2010
  2. "Plaatsing boombrug over de ring om Brussel (R0), July 10, 2013". Archived from the original on March 27, 2014.
  3. "Primeur: boombrug in Zoniënwoud". 2 October 2013.
  4. Neel Vermeiren: Bomen Andrélaan verbonden met touw. Brug helpt eekhoorns bij het oversteken December 12, 2013
  5. "L'écureuil n'a pas le vertige". SudOuest.fr.
  6. "Natuurbruggen in gebruik genomen - Nieuws & publicaties - MJPO". www.mjpo.nl.
  7. "Den Haag heeft de duurste eekhoornbrug". RTL Nieuws.
  8. "Eekhoorns negeren peperdure brug".
  9. "Haagse eekhoornbrug vorig jaar twee keer gebruikt - NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl". www.nu.nl.
  10. "Eekhoornbrug". www.studiokoning.nl.
  11. "Antrag im Gemeinderat, September 2013" (PDF).
  12. Schacht, Holger. "Rettungsseil: Berlins erste Eichhörnchen-Brücke".
  13. Tageblatt, Mindener. "Vlothos erste Eichhörnchenbrücke - Minden Aktuell".
  14. piratenpartei-herford.de, Dennis Deutschkämer: Piraten errichten Eichhörnchenbrücke (mit Webcam-Videos), mt-online.de October 29, 2012
  15. "Squirrel Bridge To Be Built Over New Aberdeen Bypass". www.buildscotland.co.uk.
  16. "CBBC Newsround - ANIMALS - Rope bridge helps save squirrels". news.bbc.co.uk.
  17. "Archant - Inspiring Communities". www.wildlifeextra.com.
  18. User, Super. "Colobridges for Primate Conservation". www.colobusconservation.org.

Further reading
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