Animals crossing: the simple solution to stop roadkill in the Amazon
The installation of canopy bridges in the Brazilian Amazon has successfully prevented roadkill among arboreal animals. Over 15 months, 15,000 safe crossings were recorded, offering a scalable solution to protect endangered species like the buffy-headed marmoset.
Why it matters
Demonstrates a successful, low-tech conservation strategy that mitigates the impact of infrastructure on biodiversity.
A black-faced black spider monkey (Ateles chamek) crossing one of the multilayered bridges. Photograph: Sergio Leal Installation of eight canopy bridges in Alta Floresta has enabled 15,000 safe crossings by animals including spider monkeys and marmosets – and more bridges are planned elsewhere
Prefer the Guardian on Google B y about 7am, with dense fog blanketing the landscape, Gabriel Falquetto had already come across several road-killed animals along the ES-164 highway in Brazil’s Espírito Santo state. The biologist was on his way to Kaetés private natural heritage reserve (RPPN) in the Atlantic Forest, where he monitors wildlife and roadkill.
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