Road ecology blog: Information sign prescribed burn, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, South Florida, USA. Call 239-695-1201 for info, Please avoid entering the burn area.

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Information sign prescribed burn, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, South Florida, USAInformation sign prescribed burn, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, South Florida, USA. Call 239-695-1201 for info, Please avoid entering the burn area.

Information sign prescribed burn, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, South Florida, USAInformation sign prescribed burn, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, South Florida, USA. Call 239-695-1201 for info, Please avoid entering the burn area.

Road ecology blog: Construction of long bridge elevating Tamiami Trail (US Hwy 41), Everglades, Florida, USA.

Click here to learn more about why this long bridge (about 1 mi long) is important to the Everglades ecosystem and how it fits in with plans for additional bridges (or "elevated roadway" or "skyway").

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Construction of long bridge elevating Tamiami Trail (US Hwy 41), Everglades, Florida, USAConstruction of long bridge elevating Tamiami Trail (US Hwy 41), Everglades, Florida, USA

Florida wildlife: Little egret (Egretta garzetta), Everglades, Florida, USA.

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Little egret (Egretta garzetta), Everglades, Florida, USALittle egret (Egretta garzetta), Everglades, Florida, USA

Florida wildlife: Dusky pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri), Florida, USA.

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Dusky pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri), Florida, USADusky pigmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius barbouri), Florida, USA

Road ecology blog: Wildlife underpass, Sun Coast Parkway (Hwy 589), Florida, USA.

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Wildlife underpass, Sun Coast Parkway (Hwy 589), Florida, USAWildlife underpass, Sun Coast Parkway (Hwy 589), Florida, USA

Florida wildlife: American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Everglades, Florida, USA.

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American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Everglades, Florida, USAAmerican alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), Everglades, Florida, USA

Road ecology blog: Panther traffic, wildlife warning sign, near Naples, Florida, USA.

Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) warning sign.

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Panther traffic, wildlife warning sign, near Naples, Florida, USAPanther traffic, wildlife warning sign, near Naples, Florida, USA

Florida wildlife: Juvenile little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), South Florida, USA.

Juveniles are white in color.

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Juvenile little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), South Florida, USAJuvenile little blue heron (Egretta caerulea), South Florida, USA. Juveniles are white in color.

Florida landscape: Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Florida, USA.

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Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Florida, USAFakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Florida, USA

Road ecology blog: Animal detection system, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA.

This animal detection system is designed to detect Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi). Once a panther, or similar sized animal, has been detected, warning signs are activated that encourage drivers to slow down and pay more attention. The system uses break-the-beam infrared sensors (about 18 inches above the ground)  that are placed about 500 ft apart. It was developed by SIMREX Corporation and installed by Transcore in January 2012. It spans 1.3 mi of the Tamiami Trail (US Hwy 41) at Turner River, just east of Ochopee, Florida.

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Animal detection system warning sign, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USAAnimal detection system warning sign, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA. Warning sign, entering wildlife sensor detection area.

Activated warning sign animal detection system, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USAActivated warning sign animal detection system, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA. Warning, Wildlife on Roadway, Reduce Speed.

Animal detection system sensor (infrared break-the-beam manufactured by SIMREX, installed by Transcore, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USAAnimal detection system sensor (infrared break-the-beam manufactured by SIMREX, installed by Transcore, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA

Animal detection system sensor (infrared break-the-beam manufactured by SIMREX, installed by Transcore, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USAAnimal detection system sensor (infrared break-the-beam manufactured by SIMREX, installed by Transcore, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA

Information sign animal detection system, leaving wildlife sensor detection area, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USAInformation sign animal detection system, leaving wildlife sensor detection area, Tamiami Trail, US Hwy 41, Florida, USA

Montana landscapes: Cut forest and regrowth in the snow, Montana, USA.

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Cut forest and regrowth in the snow, Montana, USACut forest and regrowth in the snow, Montana, USA

Cut forest and regrowth in the snow, Montana, USACut forest and regrowth in the snow, Montana, USA

Road ecology blog: American badger (Taxidea taxus) killed by a car, Montana, USA.

This is perhaps one of the most gruesome images I have ever taken from an animal killed by a car. I think the abundance of fresh red blood is particularly shocking. Some people tell me that I should not photograph animals that have been killed by traffic; some people find the images disturbing and they simply do not want to see them. I do understand and respect that opinion. I also do not like seeing a dead animal alongside the road and I also find it disturbing that we hit so many animals with our cars. However, for me this is one of the reasons to photograph it rather than not to photograph it. I have a basic journalistic approach to this; it is there, it is one of the negative side effects of how we choose to transport ourselves, and I did not alter it. However, most of us tend to ignore this side effect of our transportation system. We pass by at high speeds, and we do not really take in what has happened. Images like these - of the American badger -  may give us pause and help us realize that we do kill animals with our cars and that it is awful. While it may be difficult to look at photos of roadkilled animals it is one of the reasons why we, as a society, are prepared to do something about it, at least in selected locations. If we ignore that roads and traffic result in dead animals we may be less inclined to invest in mitigation measures. So, I not only photograph mitigation measures aimed at reducing problems associated with roads and traffic; I also photograph the problems that we are trying to address. To me it is logical to do both; photograph both the problems and measures aimed at reducing the problems.

Another reason to photograph dead animals is that it is an opportunity for me to see animals up close. Live animals are often afraid of us or dangerous to us, and we typically do not get a close look. Although the animals are dead, and that is terrible, there can be beautiful details and interesting patterns in their fur or feathers. In the case of this American badger I suddenly realized that the white stripe on the head and neck of the animal and the surrounding grey fur are similar to white lane markers and the gray pavement... the irony...

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White stripe on head and neck of roadkilled American badger (Taxidea taxus), Montana, USAWhite stripe on head and neck of roadkilled American badger (Taxidea taxus), Montana, USA. I suddenly saw the similarity between the white lines we use as lane markers on our roads and the gray asphalt, and the white stripe on the badger's head and neck surrounded by grey hairs.

White stripe on head and neck of roadkilled American badger (Taxidea taxus), Montana, USAWhite stripe on head and neck of roadkilled American badger (Taxidea taxus), Montana, USA. I suddenly saw the similarity between the white lines we use as lane markers on our roads and the gray asphalt, and the white stripe on the badger's head and neck surrounded by grey hairs.

Road ecology blog: Permanently flashing warning sign for bighorn sheep, near Anaconda, Montana, USA.

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Permanently flashing warning sign for bighorn sheep, near Anaconda, Montana, USAPermanently flashing warning sign for bighorn sheep, near Anaconda, Montana, USA