© WWF-US/Yawar Motion Films
It’s a canopy bridge for wildlife!
A single road that fragments a habitat can isolate an animal from shelter, feeding resources, and potential mates, hampering daily life and dividing species into distinct subpopulations, which can diminish genetic diversity.
Overpasses and underpasses for wildlife have become one way to help animals safely get across roads—and they help keep motorists safe too. But what do you do when the animals travel from tree to tree, instead of on the ground? You build a bridge in the canopy!
That’s exactly what WWF is doing in the Amazon’s Madre de Dios region. We’ve placed nearly 20 canopy bridges across logging roads in Maderacre, one of Peru’s largest Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)-certified timber concessions for forest management, and are testing different designs to see which ones are preferred by local wildlife. With the help of camera traps, we’re learning how many and which arboreal species use which bridges and how often. In partnership with Maderacre, HP Inc. is supporting this work through Forests Forward, WWF's signature program for corporate action in support of nature, people, and a healthy climate.
In camera trap footage, researchers have seen a kinkajou awkwardly tiptoe across the bridge like a first-time tightrope walker and monkeys appear more comfortable on bridges with mesh netting between each rung.
Learn more about how WWF is using canopy bridges to help wildlife in the Amazon.
