Daley, Ortitay highlight new wildlife corridor report

After nearly a decade of legislative efforts to create a study on conservation corridors, state Reps. Mary Jo Daley and Jason Ortitay said today that their offices have examined The Current Status of Conservation Connectivity in Pennsylvania, which was completed by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee and released this summer.

The study was conducted as a result of the adoption of H.R. 87 by the House of Representatives, and the fall season represents an important time to highlight the report.

Conservation corridors, also known as wildlife corridors, are paths that join two or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for safe passage from one area to another, typically via over- and underpasses on roads but also through waterways and wetlands.

The purpose of the study was to determine how best to preserve and reconnect habitats, reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions, and maintain and enhance Pennsylvania as one of the nation’s top destinations for outdoor recreation.

“With deer becoming more active, and Daylight Saving Time ending, deer move most during these times, and that should serve as A reminder to look out more closely,” said Daley, who represents portions of Montgomery County. “It’s also a good time to relate the findings of Pennsylvania’s study on its crossing corridors.”

The LBFC’s report notes that Pennsylvania led the country in animal-collision insurance claims in fiscal year 2023-24.

Also, according to the report:

• Risk of deer-vehicle collisions increases during October and November. Additionally, the time of day, including dawn, dusk and nighttime hours, also increases the risk of collisions.
• Collision data is a good tool to identify hotspot areas that may benefit from wildlife crossings or other conservation connectivity tools.
• In Pennsylvania, wildlife-vehicle collision data is limited to crashes reported to the state Transportation Department, which significantly undercounts collisions occurring in the commonwealth. The report found that crash data reported to PennDOT only accounted for about 3% of insurance claim estimates. Because not all collisions are required to be reported (per the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code), many are unreported.

The LBFC recommended the following for legislative consideration:

• The General Assembly should consider requiring auto insurance carriers to track and provide state transportation agencies with annual data identifying wildlife-vehicle collision locations in Pennsylvania to identify hotspots.
• The General Assembly should consider requiring commonwealth agencies, independent commissions, contractors, etc., who remove animal carcasses from roadways to centrally track the data, including coordinates of where animal carcasses were removed, to aid in identifying wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots.
• If deemed a public policy priority, the General Assembly should consider funding to develop new, and preserve existing, conservation corridors based on the collected data.

“This report provides us with a framework for implementing and managing safe habitat crossings across Pennsylvania,” Daley said. “I look forward to working with Rep. Jason Ortitay and our colleagues in the House of Representatives on the development and introduction of legislation based on the report’s recommendations. Many thanks to everyone who laid this important foundational work to conserve more of Pennsylvania.”

“While residential and commercial development continues in order to address the needs of Commonwealth residents and businesses, we must also ensure our wildlife can continue to flourish,” said Ortitay, who represents portions of Allegheny and Washington counties. “This report will help us find ways to minimize the impact on wildlife so Pennsylvania can continue to be known for its outdoor recreational tourism.”

A driver who hits a deer with a vehicle is not required to report the accident to the Game Commission. If the deer dies, only Pennsylvania residents may claim the carcass. To do so, they can call the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD and an agency dispatcher will collect the information needed to provide a free permit number, which the caller should write down.

A resident must call within 24 hours of taking possession of the deer.

If a deer is struck by a vehicle, but not killed, drivers are urged to maintain their distance because some deer might recover and move on. However, if a deer does not move on, or poses a public safety risk, drivers are encouraged to report the incident to the Game Commission or another law-enforcement agency. If the deer must be put down, the Game Commission will direct the proper person to do so.

To report a dead deer for removal from state roads, motorists can call PennDOT at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.