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Spatial cluster analysis of high-density vehicle-bear collisions and bridge locations
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Spatial cluster analysis of high-density vehicle-bear collisions and bridge locations

Ray Eslinger and John Derek Morgan
Papers in Applied Geography, Vol.3, pp.171-181
3
2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23754931.2017.1299633

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Abstract

Florida’s automobile transportation corridors have fragmented the natural range of Florida’s black bear, greatly impacting its movement. This fragmentation limits black bear migration and genetic interchange and prevents them from utilizing seasonally important nutrients. In extreme cases, highways lead to vehicle–bear collisions as the animals attempt to cross the road. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has attempted to mitigate these negative factors with highway crossing structures. These structures are expensive, however, and limited funding reduces their feasibility as construction projects. This article presents the methods and results of a spatial cluster analysis of black bear road kills from 2011 to 2015, and relates these findings to existing bridge structures. The purpose of conducting this analysis is to assist the FWC in their analysis of optimal roadway crossing feature selection for potential conversion to overpass. The results of this analysis have the potential to inform an ongoing partnership effort between the FWC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Florida Department of Transportation that seeks to use science-based data in selecting wildlife roadway crossing locations.

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