With deer mating season in full swing, the Mount Baker Sierra Club and the City of Bellingham teamed up to increase efforts to prevent wildlife collisions with the “Watch for Wildlife” campaign.
Deer-related vehicle collisions are reported to increase by 16% when daylight-saving time ends in autumn according to Current Biology. The research also suggests the primary cause of deer-vehicle collisions is that a driver’s ability to spot animals becomes substantially impaired during northwest Washington’s early sunsets.
Susan Kane-Ronning, co-chair of the Washington Sierra Club Wildlife Committee, dedicates her free time to Sierra Club, where she initiated the “Watch for Wildlife” campaign.
According to Kane-Ronning, her passion for wildlife conservation was sparked by a distressing experience 10 years ago when she witnessed a harsh deer-vehicle collision while driving.
“What bothered me the most was the lack of awareness that drivers have,” Kane-Ronning said. “Especially because we live in an area abundant with wildlife.”
Bellingham resident Irene Gituma experienced this firsthand when she hit a deer while driving on a major highway in Washington. Though Gituma and her passengers left without injury, her car suffered significant damage and the experience left her shaken.
“The car was a total loss,” Gituma said. “[The deer] hit the front bumper [and] left side of the car and caused a lot of engine damage.”
Compared to the financial toll of deer-vehicle collisions on drivers, the cost of preventing such incidents through infrastructure improvements is an investment that benefits the community and wildlife.
On average, a deer-vehicle collision could cost a driver between $2,500 and $6,000. Wildlife crossings and culverts, on the other hand, range from $500,000 to $6 million for a one-time investment. This represents a far more sustainable and cost-effective solution.
John McLaughlin, an environmental science professor at Western Washington University with an extensive background in wildlife conservation, explained the importance of these efforts.
According to Mclaughlin, reducing wildlife carcasses on the roadways begins with the city’s proactiveness on new infrastructure developments and considering where wildlife typically crosses.
“What our roads do is convert source habitats into sinks,” McLaughlin said. “They disrupt connectivity, which makes it difficult for animals to get from one place to another – basically to live their lives.”
From 2016 to 2019, the City of Bellingham collected data that reported hundreds of deer carcass recoveries throughout the city.
“If we’re going to preserve species and biodiversity, we have to have wildlife crossings,” Kane-Ronning said. “A caring, compassionate and civilized society takes care of its wildlife – that’s just what we should do.”
For residents behind the wheel, the “Watch for Wildlife” campaign provides helpful resources aimed at reducing risks and handling wildlife-vehicle collisions.
“There are many things that the community can do to lessen the wildlife death rates locally,” McLaughlin said. “Each of us can alter our own behaviors to try and live more peaceably with wildlife and not threaten their daily lives.”
For more information about the “Watch for Wildlife” campaign and tips on safe driving, visit the City of Bellingham’s environmental education page.
Sabrina Diamond (she/her) is a City News reporter for The Front. She is an involved public relations major at WWU. Sabrina serves as the Director of Events and Communication for WWU’s PRSSA Chapter and proudly represents the community of future PR professionals. In her free time, she enjoys playing cozy video games like Stardew Valley. You can reach her at sabrinadiamond.thefront@gmail.com.
