Officials from the Fresh Del Monte company and the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) joined forces to erect two wildlife flyovers on the South Inter-American Highway, at the height of the Volcán River, in Buenos Aires de Puntarenas. The installation of these structures is part of a joint initiative to place more links of this type along the busy road.
In the Brunca region alone, ICE has installed 200 wildlife crossings with the support of NGOs and other entities and companies. Animals such as sloths, squirrels, monkeys and hammerheads, among others, are expected to cross these two new crossings without the risk of being run over. Additionally, a camera trap was placed in one of the connections, which will remain there for almost two months. The goal is to document the species that use this path.
Connectivity between forested areas
“These links will also allow maintaining connectivity between forest patches that are located on both sides of the road. “In the case of those recently located, they will contribute to the constant flow of fauna between the private refuge of Vida Silvestre Montaña El Tigre and the ecosystems of the upper part of the Volcán River sub-basin.
“Currently, we have already evaluated other points to place more bridges of this type,” said Michael Calderón, spokesman for Fresh Del Monte. For its part, ICE has developed since 2000 a wildlife protection program aimed at reducing contact between wildlife and electricity distribution networks.
