Wildlife Crossings of Hope

May 1, 2024
A broad survey of modern efforts to expedite the safe movement of wildlife past busy roads and along obstructed waterways. The cited statistics are shocking: Over a million vertebrates become roadkill in the U.S. every day, and over 8 million birds suffer such a fate each year in Brazil alone. But this potentially stimulating study of wildlife conservation in the face of such anthropogenic devastation will be a heavy slog for young audiences. Chichester's descriptions of current or planned overpasses, underpasses, and natural corridors designed to connect the original ranges of wild animals and to keep routes for migratory ones open make tedious reading in the absence of maps, plans, or meaningful illustrations (Green's occasional drab, schematic images of wild creatures placed against generic backgrounds are, at best, decorative). Returning repeatedly to the story of P-22, a puma who beat the odds by getting across busy freeways to appear in Los Angeles' Griffith Park and so inspired the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the author does visit many similar structures to underscore the worldwide scope of these remediation projects. Along with talking to naturalists about the importance of all such "critter crossings" both for species survival and overall biodiversity, she introduces many of the wild beneficiaries, from butterflies and other insects to white-lipped peccaries and elephants. Still, despite the breadth of coverage and the urgency of the topic, the presentation leaves readers at arm's length. Significant work but hampered by the lack of supporting visuals. (ways to help wild creatures, scientific names of select species, bibliography, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 11-13)

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May 15, 2024
Grades 4-7 This informative book describes how scientists, engineers, and others are helping save wildlife by constructing wildlife crossings around the world. Chichester defines ecosystems, wildlife habitats, evolution, and extinction and explains why some animals need to move beyond their homes, offering P-22, the celebrated mountain lion that crossed several Southern California highways in 2012, as an example. Chapters describe smaller- and larger-scale projects (underpasses, overcrossings, canopy bridges) built around the world to protect wildlife. Many were built for only one type of species, like the salamander tunnels in Massachusetts, while others are used by many species. Although most crossings are created for wildlife only, an overpass in the Netherlands is designed for use by both animals and humans. The book also discusses the efforts to remove dams in Indigenous communities, especially in the Pacific Northwest. This illustrated in-depth exploration of wildlife crossings is useful for readers doing research or those interested in wildlife conservation (with online resources, scientific names of select species, bibliography, source notes, acknowledgments, index).

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October 18, 2024

Gr 6-9-With human civilization and roads dividing wilderness into pieces, the need for connections between those patches of land or sea become more vital all the time. Readers learn about the freeway that divided Liberty Canyon Natural Preserve in two. The arrival of a young mountain lion in Griffith Park in the heart of Los Angeles opened people's eyes to the dangers wildlife face when crossing roadways and other human constructed spaces. While the book begins and ends with Liberty Canyon and the work going into the construction of the wildlife crossing there, the author goes on to discuss various projects around the world intended to help various types of wildlife survive by connecting remaining pieces of habitat through overpasses, tunnels, and even tiny bridges made from bamboo. The importance of helping wildlife through connectivity projects shines through the text loud and clear. The handful of illustrations are beautiful; there are no photographs of the various habitats and projects. Readers may feel the lack of photographs keenly. VERDICT An informative read full of compelling stories, this is a good choice for most nonfiction shelves.-Heidi Grange

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