Racing to Protect Mule Deer Migration

Racing to Protect Mule Deer Migration This text is provided courtesy of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Tom Koerner/USFWS

Mule deer buck in southwest Wyoming

It's hard to believe that until just a few years ago, biologists had yet to document or study a 150-mile migration of thousands of large mammals through Wyoming.

Mule deer, after all, aren't exactly inconspicuous. A big buck can weigh 300 pounds or more and sport a jaw-dropping set of antlers.

Until University of Wyoming biologists tracked these animals with GPS collars, common wisdom held that the mule deer of southern Wyoming were part of a resident herd. However, biologists discovered that various herds of mule deer - about 5,000 animals total - actually migrate up to 150 miles, twice a year, between wintering grounds in the Red Desert and

The journey takes these animals through public and private lands, over major highways, past neighborhoods, through rivers - and over, under and around a gauntlet of fences.

The discovery quickly led to the stark realization that this migration, essential to the survival of the herds, was inching closer to disaster. Formerly open lands were being developed and new barriers built. At key pinch points, thousands of mule deer were being funneled between residential developments and lakes.

The situation had grown particularly dire at the Fremont Lake bottleneck in Sublette County, where nearly all of the deer passed through an area just a few hundred yards wide before confronting more than a mile of 8-foot-tall elk fencing. Mule deer could be seen walking back and forth along the fence, looking for a way through. To make matters worse, a key 364-acre parcel in this bottleneck was put on the market, destined to be developed.

Under the leadership of The Conservation Fund, biologists, state officials, foundations and conservation organizations sprang into action, quickly raising funds to buy the bottleneck property and eventually transfer it to the state.

The Conservation Fund also made efforts to tear down fencing and improve other features, clearing the path for mule deer migration.

"This ranks as the longest ungulate migration ever recorded in the lower 48 states, and it's been happening right under our noses all these years," said Mark Elsbree of The Conservation Fund. "Protecting migration routes like this, especially at critical bottlenecks, will take a concerted conservation effort that ties together scientific discovery, funding from public and private organizations, and the help of willing landowners."

Path of the Pronghorn This video is provided courtesy of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

[VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]

[To escape the winter snow, thousands of animals migrate from the Grand Tetons to the Green River Valley in Wyoming. Pronghorn herds make the 100-mile trek in just three days. They cross housing developments, highways, barbed wire fences, and natural gas fields. Every year, dozens die along the way.]

Pronghorn just like big wide-open space, no roads, no fences, no houses. We have all those things here, so it's really difficult.

A bunch of the local community agency folks built these phenomenal crossing structures so the animals can get from point A to point B with a much lower probability of getting hit and killed by a vehicle.

When this idea of erecting an overpass for pronghorn came about, there were concerns that pronghorn may not use it. No one had designed an overpass specifically for a pronghorn before. If it didn't work we were going to have a major problem because if they don't get through here, they won't survive the winter.

This morning we got a phone call that there's actually a fairly large group of pronghorn coming from their summer range and headed this way. So we're anxiously waiting to see how they navigate this particular crossing structure. We get to watch them try to use it for the first time ever in their lives!

Fairly big group of pronghorn that just came into view down into what I call the arena, where they start to have to make decisions about how to get across the highway... Now they've stopped several hundred meters north of it... okay, so kind of a scary moment. She stopped, she's vigilant looking at the overpass... the group is stopping behind her... she started running again... let's hope that she just turns the corner... She did! And there they go, wow. That's about 60 animals just went over the overpass! What a relief! It feels like such a big relief. It's just awesome to, you know, just feel that [sigh of awe and relief]. They made it over there on the other side. They can continue on the migration.

[National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has worked to support pronghorn migration in Wyoming since 2005. With our assistance, thousands will have a safer passage for years to come.]

Name: ______Date: ______

Use the article "Racing to Protect Mule Deer Migration" to answer questions 1 to 2 .

1. Describe the "dire" situation at the Fremont Lake bottleneck in Sublette County, which threatened mule deer migration in Wyoming.

2. What did the Conservation Fund and its partners do to help clear the path for mule deer migration? Use at least two details from the text to support your answer.

Use the video "Path of the Pronghorn" to answer questions 3 to 4.

3. What are some obstacles pronghorn face during their three-day, 100-mile migration in Wyoming?

4. What did conservationists do to help pronghorn get past a highway on their migration?

Use the article "Racing to Protect Mule Deer Migration" and the video "Path of the Pronghorn" to answer questions 5 to 7.

5. Compare the problems facing mule deer and pronghorn as they migrate. Use details from both the text and the video to support your comparison.

6. Compare the solutions that conservationists put into action to help mule deer and pronghorn migrate. Use details from both the text and the video to support your comparison.

7. How can humans impact the migration of species like mule deer and pronghorn? Support your answer with evidence from the text and video.