When it comes to Sooke’s wildlife and Highway 14, they can’t go around it, and they can’t go under it – so they must go across it. That’s to the dismay of many local wildlife advocates who would like to see more options made available to Sooke’s wild residents and more care shown toward them.
As the district continues to develop, adding new homes, businesses and upgrading its infrastructure, wildlife advocates are growing concerned that the creatures who have long called the wilds of Sooke home are becoming more at risk.
As habitats and wildlife corridors diminish, animals are being pushed into closer proximity with human activity, particularly along Sooke’s roads, where wildlife collisions are frequent.
“There is an enormous, well-known wildlife corridor that runs from the Sooke Hills to the mouth of the Sooke River,” said Johnny Wright, a local wildlife advocate. He expressed concern that upcoming developments could sever the corridor and create more opportunities for wildlife to take risks crossing busy roads.
“My biggest concern is, if you’re going to sever this, then what? What I’m wishing for, through our advocacy, is for the district to bring attention to and acknowledge this corridor. Once you start planning, get the proper engineers in.”
Wright has worked on advocacy efforts with Kelly Chartier, a wildlife advocate and rescuer who volunteers with Wild Wise and Wild ARC. Chartier has often taken matters into her own hands, putting up signs along Highway 14 warning drivers to slow down.
For her, a particular area of concern is the stretch of Highway 14 between Phillips Road and Belvista Place, which Wright referred to as a “speedway.”
“Every year we lose a cub right before the bridge,” Chartier said.
“I started doing rescues because so many animals are hit there.”
Both advocates would like to see wildlife culverts installed when the district, province, and CRD undertake new infrastructure projects. They believe the culverts could offer a safe passage under roads and reduce the risk of collisions.
While there is currently a pipe running under the road, which provides safe passage to small animals, crossing remains a challenge for larger species.
In the meantime, the pair remind drivers to slow down. They also hope for support from the district or province to install more permanent signage, although no additions are currently planned.
“We need real signs here. My signs – I’m constantly replacing them. They get blown over because they’re just flimsy plastic sticks in the ground,” Chartier said.
Along with new signage, wildlife advocates like Dana Livingstone say warning lights could also help.
“We also like those orange warning lights they have on Highway 18. Once we put that in, more people will start to pay attention and be more careful,” said Livingstone, of the Wildlife Advocates Collective. She’s been disappointed by the limited wildlife warning infrastructure, including lights and signs, on Vancouver Island.
“The problem is, on the Island there’s not much of a budget,” said Livingstone.
“We don’t see enough undercrossings for large species. There weren’t any implemented on the Malahat. They have one for the elk up by Courtenay, and now they’ve got flashing lights on Highway 18. But on the Mainland, they’ve implemented more along Highway 91, I believe.”
For these advocates, ensuring the safety of Sooke’s wildlife helps protect biodiversity, and that, they say, is essential.
“Without strong biodiversity, we’re dead in the water. It’s part of the fabric of what creates and maintains a healthy environment,” said Wright.
“If we have these documented corridors, I don’t understand what the big problem is. Just engineer these successful projects or devices so we can maintain the wealth of biodiversity we have.”
Chartier added that safe wildlife crossings not only protect animals but also benefit drivers – and their wallets.
“There’s a lot of trauma when someone hits an animal. I’ve spoken with people who’ve hit animals, and some never drive again because it’s so traumatizing,” she said.
She also explained that frequent wildlife collisions drive up ICBC insurance rates, which end up costing everyone more.
“I bet if you asked most people, they’d rather spend a couple extra bucks on their Sooke taxes than have their ICBC rates go up by more than a couple bucks,” Wright added.
Until new infrastructure can ensure safe wildlife crossings, advocates are urging drivers to slow down, scan roadsides, anticipate wildlife and use caution on Highway 14’s twists and turns.
