Road ecology blog: Wildlife jump-out or escape ramp, SR 260, east of Payson, Arizona, USA.

Wildlife jump-outs or escape ramps are designed to allow animals to escape the fenced road corridor. Animals that get caught in between the fences can escape by walking up the ramp and jumping down to the safe side of the fence. The jump-out or escape ramp should be low enough so that the animals will readily jump down to safety, but they should be high enough to discourage animals from jumping up into the fenced right-of-way. The optimal height likely depends on the target species; there is ongoing research into design questions regarding wildlife jump-outs or escape ramps.

Jump-outs or escape ramps are typically placed in relatively quiet places, a bit further from the road, often with some vegetation. It is hypothesized that this allows the animals to calm down a bit which would then allow them to assess the jump-out better and use it.

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Wildlife jump-out or escape ramp, SR 260, east of Payson, Arizona, USA