New Federal Grant For U.S. Hwy 64 Crossings Could Save Endangered Red Wolves And Other Wildlife

The Federal Highway Administration announced today that the North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $25 million to build new wildlife crossing structures on U.S. 64 to help save the endangered Red Wolf from extinction. Only 17-19 Red Wolves are left in the wild, making the animals one of the most critically endangered species in the world. Six Red Wolves have been killed on U.S. 64 from vehicle strikes in the past five years. Most recently, in June 2024 a breeding male Red Wolf was killed on the highway, a loss which then led to the deaths of his five young pups. The new federal grant from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program will allow NCDOT to build a series of 11 wildlife underpasses of various sizes along part of U.S. 64 where the road passes through Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. 

“We know the benefits wildlife corridors can provide to species traversing our state’s roadways, and perhaps none are in more need of safe passage than Red Wolves,” said Ben Prater, Southeast program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “In the face of environmental changes that are increasingly transforming and fragmenting the landscape, this funding comes at a critical time, when we have the opportunity to make our roadways safer for motorists and wildlife alike.”

“These structures are expected to greatly reduce the road mortality threat to Red Wolves and other species, while also keeping motorists safe on the busy beach highway that heads to the famous Outer Banks,” said Dr. Ron Sutherland, Chief Scientist at Wildlands Network.

The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $350 million for a five-year Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, with grants awarded competitively to states, tribes and federal agencies. This year Federal Highways is awarding $125 million in a series of 16 grants to design and build new wildlife crossings around the country. NCDOT applied in September for funds to build crossings and associated fencing to guide animals to the crossings on a key stretch of US 64 that for years has been a hotspot for Red Wolves, bears and other species being struck by vehicles. 

“Marissa Cox and her team at NCDOT prepared an excellent proposal, with help from Joe Madison at US Fish and Wildlife Service and Travis Wilson at NC Wildlife Resources Commission. We’re also really thankful that NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins gave this effort his strong and enlightened support,” said Nikki Robinson, NC Project Manager at Wildlands Network.

The state agency was required to provide 20% of the cost for the overall project, which meant contributing over $6 million in non-federal matching funds. To assist the state, the conservation nonprofit Wildlands Network secured an initial $2 million challenge grant from an anonymous philanthropist, and also received a total of $305,000 from The Volgenau Foundation, the Felburn Foundation, and the Animal Welfare Institute. The Center for Biological Diversity has raised an additional $1.65 million in private funding from their members and foundations towards completing the $2 million challenge grant. 

“These crossings will save human lives and protect the world’s most endangered wolves,” said Will Harlan, Southeast Director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “I am immensely grateful to the agencies leading this project — and to the thousands of donors and supporters who have given red wolves a fighting chance.”

The crossings on U.S. 64 are expected to benefit dozens of other species in addition to Red Wolves. An ongoing daily roadkill survey led by Wildlands Network, and funded by AWI and Defenders of Wildlife, has documented over 2,400 dead vertebrate animals on U.S. 64 in Dare and Tyrrell Counties (along with a short stretch of U.S. 264) since the project was launched on August 1, 2024. This total includes more than 700 turtles, 700 snakes, and 600 amphibians, along with over 100 birds, six river otters, two black bears, and two bobcats. 

The region where the crossings will be built is known for extremely large 600+lb black bears, which, along with deer and alligators, pose a significant safety risk to passing motorists. Looking statewide, North Carolina drivers experienced between 20-22,000 reported collisions with large wildlife each year from 2021-2023, crashes that resulted in a total of 20 human fatalities, 2754 injuries, and over $200 million in damages. At the national level, State Farm estimates that there are over 1.8 million animal-vehicle crash insurance claims each year.  

“Vehicle strikes are now the leading cause of death for wild Red Wolves,” said Johanna Hamburger, director and senior attorney of AWI’s terrestrial wildlife program. “Wildlife underpasses are essential for recovering the species, as well as for saving thousands of other animals on US 64 each year, from eastern screech owls to rainbow snakes to leopard frogs.”

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About:
For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come.

Wildlands Network is a nonprofit conservation group dedicated to reconnecting, restoring, and rewilding natural areas across North America. The group has a focus on improving habitat connectivity to allow wildlife to cross roadways, and was one of the strongest proponents for creating the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program. Wildlands Network has also played a key role in researching the ecology of Red Wolves in the wild, an effort led by Chief Scientist Dr. Ron Sutherland.   

The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.