Moose collars open new crossing research
Working with local landowners, Wyoming Game and Fish recently placed GPS collars on ten adult moose in the Wilson area. The collars are programmed to automatically fall off the animals in July 2021.
The animals were collared on private land near the intersections of highways 22 and 390 between Jackson and Wilson. It was part of a new research project evaluating daily and seasonal movement of moose in the area.
Biologists said there were two successful highway crossings by two different collared moose within the first two weeks.
Biologists hope to learn how the moose select or avoid crossing locations. That area, from the town of Jackson to the Idaho border, is one of the highest documented moose-vehicle collision areas in Wyoming.
Results of the research will be used in the design of a new highway and Snake River bridge reconstruction scheduled to begin in 2022.
A recent “Teton County Wildlife Crossings Master Plan” identified Highway 22 and the Highway 390 intersection at the Snake River Bridge, as the highest priority highway in Wyoming to construct a wildlife crossing structure.
