A squirrel bridge is a construction (similar to a wildlife crossing) which enables small animals, especially squirrels and martens, to safely cross busy roadways. The bridges are a measure for wildlife management and natural habitat preservation, and serve the functions of both animal welfare and accident prevention. The Nutty Narrows Bridge in Longview, Washington, built in 1963, is regarded as the first of its kind. The city has since built eight other bridges for squirrels.[1][2]
Costs to construct squirrel bridges vary significantly, depending on construction. Simple rope bridge constructions, such as those in Brecht, Belgium, have cost only about 250 euros, while the bridge built in The Hague in 2013 took half a year to construct and cost 150,000–200,000 euros.
List of squirrel bridges
[edit]The following bridges protect the red squirrel, common in Europe, or the North American gray squirrel (either of which may be hunted as an invasive species depending on the continent).
Image | Country | Place | Year | Type/Number | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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United States | Olympia Way near 18th Avenue, Longview, Washington | 1963 | Suspension bridge | "Nutty Narrows Bridge." |
United States | 1318 Kessler Boulevard, Longview, Washington | 2011 | Covered bridge | "Bruce Kamp Bridge."[3] | |
United States | Nichols Boulevard near Kentucky Boulevard, Longview, Washington | 2012 | Cable-stayed bridge | "John R. Dick Bridge."[3] Modeled after the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts.[2] | |
United States | Louisiana Street near 23rd Avenue, Longview, Washington | 2014[4] | Covered bridge | "OBEC Bridge."[3] | |
United States | Kessler Boulevard near 24th Avenue, Longview, Washington | 2015 | Truss bridge | "Safety Awareness Bridge."[3] Designed and built by the Bits and Bots Robotics Club of R. A. Long High School and Mark Morris High School.[2] | |
United States | Kessler Boulevard near Washington Way, Longview, Washington | Truss bridge | "R.D. Olson Mfg. Bridge." Modeled after the Lewis and Clark Bridge in Longview, Washington.[2] | ||
United States | Kessler Boulevard near 20th Avenue, Longview, Washington | Tied-arch bridge | "S & R Bridge."[2] Modeled after the Fremont Bridge (Portland, Oregon). | ||
United States | Kessler Boulevard near 22nd Avenue, Longview, Washington | Truss bridge | "PUD Bridge."[2] | ||
Belgium | Brussels, Ring 0 | 2013[5][6] | Ropes/nets and steel pipe attached to a gantry | ||
Belgium | Brecht, Belgium, Andrélaan | 2013[7] | Two rope bridges | ||
Belgium | Northeast of Antwerp Province, Belgium | 2023[8] | Ropes attached to trees at a height of approximately 10 meters. | 16 bridges are installed in Schilde, Schoten, Wijnegem and Deurne. Select positions will be monitored by cameras | |
France | La Rochelle, Parc Franck-Delmas/Parc d'Orbigny | 2012[9] | Rope bridge | „Écureuilloduc“ | |
Netherlands | Rijksweg 12, Kilometer 73,90 | 2012[10] | |||
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Netherlands | The Hague, Benoordenhoutseweg | 2012[11][12] | A camera monitoring the bridge suggested that squirrels largely ignored the bridge in a widely reported story in 2016.[13] As of 2022, however, the bridge is regularly used by both squirrels and martens.[14] | |
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Netherlands | Amsterdam, Europaboulevard in Amstelpark | 2011/2012[11][15] | Parallel ropes connected to netting. | |
Netherlands | Roermond, Heinsbergerweg | 2013[16] | |||
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Germany | Berlin-Friedrichshagen, Müggelseedamm | 2014[17] | Rope bridge | |
Germany | Vlotho, Burgstraße | 2012[18][19] | Rope bridge | ||
United Kingdom | Scotland, Aberdeen | 2008[20] | |||
United Kingdom | England, near Formby | 2004[21] | Rope bridge |
Similar concepts for other species
[edit]Image | Country | Place | Year | Type/Number | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | Victoria, near Benalla | 2007[22] | Rope bridge | For sugar gliders and possums | |
Australia | Victoria, Longwood | Rope bridge | For sugar gliders and possums | ||
Kenya | Diani Beach | 1997[23] | about 200, rope ladder construction | "Colobridges", for colobus monkeys |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Day, Hayley (March 4, 2021). "Disney uses Longview squirrel bridges to market new film 'Flora & Ulysses'". The Daily News. p. A1. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Squirrel Fest". Retrieved 2023-08-20.
- ^ a b c d "Nutty Points of Attraction". City of Longview. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Longview's fourth squirrel bridge to be installed June 21". The Daily News. June 11, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ "Plaatsing boombrug over de ring om Brussel (R0), July 10, 2013". Archived from the original on March 27, 2014.
- ^ "Primeur: boombrug in Zoniënwoud". 2 October 2013.
- ^ Neel Vermeiren: Bomen Andrélaan verbonden met touw. Brug helpt eekhoorns bij het oversteken December 12, 2013
- ^ "Scheepstouwen op grote hoogte helpen pluimstaarten veilig oversteken December 18, 2023".
- ^ Brosset, Thomas (14 March 2012). "L'écureuil n'a pas le vertige". SudOuest.fr.
- ^ "Natuurbruggen in gebruik genomen - Nieuws & publicaties - MJPO". www.mjpo.nl.
- ^ a b "Den Haag heeft de duurste eekhoornbrug". RTL Nieuws.
- ^ "Eekhoorns negeren peperdure brug". 18 October 2013.
- ^ "Haagse eekhoornbrug vorig jaar twee keer gebruikt - NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl". www.nu.nl. 22 February 2016.
- ^ "Eekhoorns en boommarters hebben na jaren eindelijk eekhoornbrug gevonden - Omroep West". www.omroepwest.nl. 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Eekhoornbrug". www.studiokoning.nl.
- ^ "Antrag im Gemeinderat, September 2013" (PDF).
- ^ Schacht, Holger. "Rettungsseil: Berlins erste Eichhörnchen-Brücke".
- ^ Tageblatt, Mindener. "Vlothos erste Eichhörnchenbrücke - Minden Aktuell".
- ^ piratenpartei-herford.de, Dennis Deutschkämer: Piraten errichten Eichhörnchenbrücke (mit Webcam-Videos), mt-online.de October 29, 2012
- ^ "Squirrel Bridge To Be Built Over New Aberdeen Bypass". www.buildscotland.co.uk.
- ^ "CBBC Newsround - ANIMALS - Rope bridge helps save squirrels". news.bbc.co.uk. March 2004.
- ^ "Archant - Inspiring Communities". www.wildlifeextra.com.
- ^ "Colobridges for Primate Conservation". www.colobusconservation.org.