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

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).

ImageCountryPlaceYearType/NumberNotes
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]
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]
Netherlands Amsterdam, Europaboulevard in Amstelpark 2011/2012[11][15] Parallel ropes connected to netting.
Netherlands Roermond, Heinsbergerweg 2013[16]
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

ImageCountryPlaceYearType/NumberNotes
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

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Squirrel Fest". Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Nutty Points of Attraction". City of Longview. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Longview's fourth squirrel bridge to be installed June 21". The Daily News. June 11, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Plaatsing boombrug over de ring om Brussel (R0), July 10, 2013". Archived from the original on March 27, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Primeur: boombrug in Zoniënwoud". 2 October 2013.
  7. ↑ Neel Vermeiren: Bomen Andrélaan verbonden met touw. Brug helpt eekhoorns bij het oversteken December 12, 2013
  8. ↑ "Scheepstouwen op grote hoogte helpen pluimstaarten veilig oversteken December 18, 2023".
  9. ↑ Brosset, Thomas (14 March 2012). "L'écureuil n'a pas le vertige". SudOuest.fr.
  10. ↑ "Natuurbruggen in gebruik genomen - Nieuws & publicaties - MJPO". www.mjpo.nl.
  11. 1 2 "Den Haag heeft de duurste eekhoornbrug". RTL Nieuws.
  12. ↑ "Eekhoorns negeren peperdure brug". 18 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Haagse eekhoornbrug vorig jaar twee keer gebruikt - NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl". www.nu.nl. 22 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Eekhoorns en boommarters hebben na jaren eindelijk eekhoornbrug gevonden - Omroep West". www.omroepwest.nl. 15 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Eekhoornbrug". www.studiokoning.nl.
  16. ↑ "Antrag im Gemeinderat, September 2013" (PDF).
  17. ↑ Schacht, Holger. "Rettungsseil: Berlins erste Eichhörnchen-Brücke".
  18. ↑ Tageblatt, Mindener. "Vlothos erste Eichhörnchenbrücke - Minden Aktuell".
  19. ↑ piratenpartei-herford.de, Dennis Deutschkämer: Piraten errichten Eichhörnchenbrücke (mit Webcam-Videos), mt-online.de October 29, 2012
  20. ↑ "Squirrel Bridge To Be Built Over New Aberdeen Bypass". www.buildscotland.co.uk.
  21. ↑ "CBBC Newsround - ANIMALS - Rope bridge helps save squirrels". news.bbc.co.uk. March 2004.
  22. ↑ "Archant - Inspiring Communities". www.wildlifeextra.com.
  23. ↑ "Colobridges for Primate Conservation". www.colobusconservation.org.

Further reading

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