The wildlife bridge over Oracle Road north of Tucson provides a safe place for animals to avoid traffic. A fence funnels the species to the bridge.
A wildlife bridge and a nearby underpass on Oracle Road north of Tucson are proving to be popular for a variety of animals, including bobcats, coyotes, deer, and even reptiles.
The structures, which were built with regional transportation funds and completed in 2016, have been used by tens of thousands of animals ever since.
This desert tortoise was observed at the wildlife crossing bridge over Oracle Road in the fall of 2023.
Carolyn Campbell is the executive director of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, a group that is working to keep the animals safe from deadly encounters with cars and other vehicles.
She says the corridors allow vital access between the Catalina Mountains on the east and the Tortolita Mountains to the west.
VIEW LARGER The wildlife bridge over Oracle Road north of Tucson provides a safe place for animals to avoid traffic. Supporters maintain the area in a natural state so that it's better for the endemic inhabitants. "We have seen an average of 2000 crossings a month in the nine years since this has been built. We've got over 40,000 animals between the underpass and the overpass that cross to get between these two mountain ranges," Campbell says.
"We just saw our first desert tortoise on the bridge when we were out here working a couple of months ago."
VIEW LARGER This desert tortoise was observed at the wildlife crossing bridge over Oracle Road in the fall of 2023. It's good news for the animals' supporters, but it also takes a an essential set of volunteers that comes out for "Habitat Restoration Day" at the locations once a month.
VIEW LARGER Cheryl Purvis is one of several volunteers who works at the bridge and underpass on Oracle Road as part of the monthly Habitat Restoration Day. The activity is organized by the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Conservation. Cheryl Purvis has made financial contributions to the non-profit coalition, but then decided to also volunteer.
"It seemed like it would be a good time to be more active in the organization and to be able to get out and enjoy this beautiful desert while doing something for all its creatures," she says.
"I love the opportunity to get out in the open air or to work with people who have the same values. It's wonderful."
Jessica Moreno is the conservation science director at the Coalition, and she participates in the monthly gatherings.
"We're planting native plants, trees, pollinator plants to create cover for animals, smaller animals moving across the bridge and underpass, and also food sources and all that fun stuff," Moreno says.
"We want the habitat to match the surrounding environment and also work really well for the animals that are going to be using the crossing structures."
The overpass is just a few yards from Santa Catalina Catholic Church at14380 N. Oracle Road, where the residents park and meet.
"This is the first wildlife bridge in the Sonoran Desert and won't be the last. We've got plans in place to put one over I-10 near Avra Valley road to connect the Tucson mountains and the Tortolita Mountains as well. So hopefully, one day we’ll have a ring of bighorn sheep moving around, and mule deer moving around Tucson.”
"It's pretty incredible," adds executive director Carolyn Campbell.
"When the Game and Fish Department put these video cameras in a couple of months after these [corridors] were built, they really thought it was going to take a couple of years to get the animals trained to go down the funnel fence but we found the deer almost waiting for this bridge to be built," she adds.
"I mean, they were just bringing their whole families over like right away."
Volunteer Cheryl Purvis is glad to be getting her hands dirty.
"It feels so good. It's so rewarding. I would encourage anybody who has the time and the resources to do it."
For more information about the Habitat Restoration Day or other activities and events, you can check out the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection.
Volunteers take part in Habitat Restoration Day at Oracle Road north of Tucson. The activity is organized by the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Conservation.
The wildlife underpass at Oracle Road north of Tucson provides a safe place for animals to move in the area while avoiding traffic. The underpass is located south of the wildlife bridge.
The wildlife underpass under Oracle Road north of Tucson provides a safe place for animals to move in the area while avoiding traffic. The underpass is located south of the wildlife bridge.
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