Wildlife Crossings - Check No. 2
Monitored objects:
- Underpass, 325.6 km of Highway D1, Suchdol nad Odrou, Czech Republic
- Overpass, 326.1 km of Highway D1, Suchdol nad Odrou, Czech Republic
Date of monitoring:
- February 18th 2012
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Underpass, 325.6 km of Highway D1, Suchdol nad Odrou |
Inside of the underpass. Only brown hares (Lepus europaeus) use this underpass during our visit. |
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Identification number of the bridge/underpass, 325.6 km of Highway D1 |
Large overpass (for bears, mooses and other big animals), 326.1 km of Highway D1, Suchdol nad Odrou. From the underpass (in the left corner of this picture where fencing ends) along both sides of the highway there are strips planted with bushes and trees. |
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Overpass, view from the bridge/underpass on 325.6 km of Highway D1 |
Southwest side of the overpass |
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A closer look |
Northeast side of the overpass |
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On the top of the overpass. Width of the overpass at its highest point is 50 m. Ground of the overpass is covered with grass. |
View of the overpass from the southeast. You can notice tracks of horses in the snow crossing the overpass. |
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View of the overpass from the northwest |
Wooden bulwark on the edge of the overpass |
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Strip planted with shrubs and trees (beech, ash, lime, maple atc.) along the highway. View from the overpass, 326.1 km D1, towards the underpass, 325.6 km D1. |
Rows of shrubs and young trees along the higway. View from the overpass, 326.1 km D1, to the northeast. Green belt was planted along both sides of the highway in this locality. |
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View from the top of the overpass towards the southeast. You can see a landscape full of fields and small woods. On February 18th 2012 we counted about twenty individuals of roe deer in the vicinity of the overpass. |
View from the top of the overpass towards the northwest. There is a mosaic of forests, fields and meadows. |
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A corridor of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in the center of the overpass. Roe deer use for crossing only the central part of the overpass, not edges, where noise and light from the traffic can be disturbing. |
The overpass is heavily used by roe deer. |
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Tracks of roe deer |
Footprints of roe deer |
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Tracks of brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Of course, hares also use the overpass. |
A track of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) crossing the highway via the overpass. |
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A footprint of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) |
Another footprint of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) |
Index of animal species using wildlife crossings (underpass and overpass) on Highway D1
near Suchdol nad Odrou on February 18th 2012
Underpass, stationing 325.6 km of Highway D1
- Wild animal species: Brown hare (Lepus europaeus)
Overpass, stationing 326.1 km of Highway D1
- Wild animal species: Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Brown hare (Lepus europaeus), Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
- Domestic animals: Horse (Equus caballus), Dog (Canis familiaris)
Conclusion
The underpass and the overpass on Highway D1 near Suchdol nad Odrou are located just 500 meters apart. This situation is advantageous to compare game species using different types of crossings.
On February 18th 2012 we have founded only hare tracks inside the underpass, stationing 325.6 km of Highway D1. This low underpass is not suitable for roe deer. This ungulate species needs bigger underpasses as that one near Hrabůvka, stationing 304.6 km of Highway D1 (see report "Wildlife Crossings Check No. 1").
In contrast, on the overpass there were many roe deer tracks. Roe deer very often cross the highway via this overpass.