Colorado – Heavy snowfall in eastern Colorado is driving Pronghorn onto roads and they are dying in the dozens because of vehicles that mow them over. According to the southeast state wildlife office, the animals seek refuge from the deep snow on roadways, and they are unable to escape quickly because of the icy conditions. Tragically, over 100 were killed in a week’s time.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said:
Pronghorn can’t move quickly on icy roads to escape oncoming traffic.
And because pronghorn prefer to go under fences rather than jump over, many are trapped on the roads because snow is 2 feet deep and there isn’t room for them to crawl under the bottom wires.
In the northeast region, 52 pronghorns died in a single day.
We responded to 52 pronghorn hit and killed by vehicles this morning on US 36 east of Byers. Wildlife will congregate on roads when there is a lot of snow left on the ground. Please drive slow on the plains after storms.
Officials are unable to bait the animals away from the roadways. They said, “until the snow melts, CPW asks landowners to plow snow from fields to give them large spaces to shelter off the roads. Meanwhile, CPW officers are monitoring herds to protect them and removing carcasses.”
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