Editor: Today is a sad day, one amongst many, of finding another beautiful animal dead, violently shoved across the highway.
Most people never see these animals, the clean up crew arrives fairly quickly. But, what does it take for the minister of highways to build an overpass like the successful ones in Lake Louise? Not to mention, install wildlife fencing.
There’s none along Dead Man’s and Lac Des Arcs where I just saw a dead baby bear. It was a terribly sad thing to see.
Lac Des Arcs has the highest wildlife killing area in all of Alberta since the animals come down the mountain to the river and streams and forage for berries.
Very sadly, many don’t make it. I’ve seen many dozens of animals badly hit over the years. And to answer my own question, what it takes is money.
So, I have an idea. Photo radar. Let’s put that nasty money-grab surplus of more than $1 million from the tickets we are all receiving for ridiculously low speed limits, to good use. That way, we all won’t be ticked off receiving another photo of the back of our vehicle telling us we were speeding (at a turtle’s pace of 30 km an hour with little traffic and good driving conditions), to build an overpass in Lac Des Arcs.
I’m sure most of us would be happy to pay these highway robbery tickets if they go toward keeping wildlife that are crossing Highway 1 trying to get to water and food, safe.
Rory O’Neill, director,
Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue
