Denver7 Monday shedding light on the resource constraints facing first responders in Colorado’s Eastern Plains during huge snowstorms like the one we had late last week.

On Tuesday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) shared another issue facing the region in the wake of heavy snowfall: a threat to wildlife.

The agency said more than 100 antelope — a small ungulate considered the fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere, according to CPW — have been killed on Eastern Plains roads since a stretch of snow dumped up to 40 inches in some places.

That includes 52 people who were killed on U.S. 36 east of Byers. CPW offices in the northeast and southeast regions of the state job graphic images on social media of antelope carcasses.

Pronghorns congregate on roads after snowstorms for several reasons. First, they prefer to crawl under fences rather than jump over them, CPW explains, and heavy snowfall on the ground may prevent them from doing so. Second, the pavement is warmer than snowy prairie pronghorns prefer. Some pronghorns may even sleep on roads.

A section of US 36 near Byers was one of several areas identified by the Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Alliance as priority projects in 2023. The group, which aims to reduce wildlife collisions in our state, has advocated for a wildlife crossing in the area.

In this case, CPW said it’s unclear whether a wildlife crossing would have prevented a collision because the animals were using the roads to avoid snow and ice while traveling.

• Earlier this year, Denver7 deepened its efforts in Colorado to protect animals with the addition of wildlife crossings across the state. View this report here.

Colorado Wildlife and Transportation Alliance

CPW urged motorists to slow down when driving in the plains after snowstorms. He also encouraged landowners on the plains to plow fields to create space for pronghorns to congregate away from roads.

What should I do if I encounter an animal on the road?

The Colorado State Patrol warns that animals on the road can force “difficult decisions” on motorists.

The CSP recommends that drivers who have the time and space to honk their horn and slow down in a straight line to stop. Drivers who don’t have time or who have traffic behind them should cross, staying in the lane and with a “slight angle toward the animal’s butt ONLY if they are near the white side line.” .

“The worst choice you can make is to move out of your lane or brake suddenly with vehicles behind you,” Maj. David Rollins, CSP District 4 commander, said in a news release. “People can get into serious accidents when they let their emotions take over to save Bambi or his friends.”

Other CSP advice for drivers regarding wildlife includes remaining alert, being aware of signage indicating wildlife activity, using high beams for visibility, and warning others alert drivers to the presence of wild animals by honking. He also recommends being aware of peak season and potential for herds: Where one deer or elk comes out, for example, there are likely more of them.

How Colorado quickly became a national leader in wildlife crossings