Silhouettes highlight Park City’s wildlife crossings

Park City, Utah – Mari Mennel-Bell saw a dead mother moose and her calf on the side of State Route 224 not long after she moved to Park City a few years ago.

She said, “I freaked out.” “I thought, ‘Oh my god, this was supposed to be paradise.'”
She told the charity Save People Save Wildlife to put up some moose in Park City after seeing the animal silhouettes in Jackson, Wyoming. That’s what they did last year. This week, a few elk joined the group.

“They are fun, they are pretty, they are works of art, but they have a point,” Mennel-Bell said. “That’s just to give you an idea of the herd that there are a lot of animals here.”

The group is trying to save people and animals in more ways than one.

“Every day, more than 30,000 cars use this road,” Mennel-Bell said. “Now, they’re talking about making it wider from 85 feet to 110 feet.” “These animals will not be able to cross unless we do something about it.”

The moose has a meaning that many drivers don’t know. Park City local James Marshall just recently learned what it means.

He said, “I thought it was just art.” “Signs are great because they’re easy to see.” It looks like they’re lit up when the sun goes down.

In her words, the art is only the beginning. UDOT needs to add wildlife paths to 224.

“It’s great that people can see the silhouettes, but it’s clear that it’s not working completely because animals are still being killed.”