Picture this: you’re an Eastern Foxsnake.
After spending the warmer months basking in the sun, searching for meals, and birthing your young, it’s time to find a hibernaculum (an underground den to survive winter).
But something stands between you and your hibernacula: countless giant metal beings crossing in front of you, with little desire to slow down or let you get to your destination safely.
If you try to cross, you risk being hit by one of these beings.
If you don’t find proper hibernacula, you will likely become dehydrated or freeze to death.
The journey to find a new place for rest has become life or death.
Cars: a major wildlife predator
Crossing dangerous roads is unfortunate reality for much of the small wildlife across the province.
Car and truck strikes are impose a significant impact upon animal populations.
Larger mammals such as deer and moose are much easier to spot and avoid when driving on park roads.
Smaller wildlife, like snakes, turtles, skinks, chipmunks, squirrels, and salamanders, are much more difficult to see from the driver’s seat.
Parks like Killbear Provincial Park have noticed an increase in recorded roadkill, especially in snake populations.
In a 2025 report, 91% of observed road mortalities at Killbear were snakes, including the Eastern Foxsnake, a species that is classified as threatened on the Protected Species in Ontario List.
How do we solve this problem?
Introducing: the ecopassage.
It’s a specially designed fence and tunnel that reduces roadkill by providing small species with a safe way to cross the road.
Staff have installed a new ecopassage just this year! This brings the total number of ecopassages at Killbear to five!
Listen to Chief Park Naturalist Hope Freeman and Snake Researcher Alex Heffernan talk more about how these ecopassages are built:
How do ecopassages work?
They act like a tunnel under the road and allow wildlife to cross to the opposite side safely.
Ecopassages are strategically placed at “hot spots” along Killbear’s roads. These are places staff know the risks are highest.
These protect park wildlife, especially vulnerable ones such as the threatened Massasauga Rattlesnake.
Animals can’t read signs, so Team Killbear also installed fencing that run along the length of the roads.
Together, the fencing directs wildlife to the ecopassages, and the ecopassages provide a path that wildlife can use to get across without being hit on the road.
They will continue to keep a keen eye on the ecopassages to see which wildlife is using them.
Protecting wildlife, one passage at a time
Funding for this project (and many others!) is being provided through the Species Conservation Program, which provides up to $20 million annually to projects that support species protection and conservation in Ontario.
The next time you visit the Discovery Centre at Killbear, ask a friendly staff member to tell you more about the park ecopassages and snake research!
You can even meet some of Killbear’s resident snakes: Noodin the Eastern Foxsnake and Russ the Massasauga Rattlesnake! [KILLBEAR, CAN YOU CONFIRM/EDIT? Noodin and Russ were both injured on roads, and can’t be released back to the wild. Now, these charismatic slitherers are park ambassadors, helping people learn more about snakes.]
Looking to lend a hand? Join protection efforts by:
- driving slowly on park roads
- keeping an eye out for snakes, turtles, and other creatures (especially between April and September)
- reporting your snake and wildlife sighting to park staff and iNaturalist
