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Volunteer Cyclists in Montana Map Vehicle-Wildlife Accidents

Robert "Bo" Parfet

· Cyclists
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Robert “Bo” Parfet is a Denver, Colorado business leader with a focus on impact investing at the helm of Denali Venture Philanthropy. Reflecting a background as an adventurer, mountaineer, and environmentalist, Robert “Bo” Parfet is motivated by a foundational aim of leaving the planet in better condition for future generations.

Serving in a board position with Adventure Scientists, he supported a project that involved volunteer cyclists traversing 11,000 miles of roads across Montana in the summer of 2020, with an aim of helping wildlife and human populations better co-exist.

The situation addressed is a serious one, with 365 million animals dying, and 29,000 people injured each year, due to wildlife-vehicle collisions. This often avoidable tragedy, costing $8.4 billion annually, is worsening, as ever more roads are built within natural areas. With pristine wildlife habitats disrupted, animals are required to navigate ever more constrained spaces.
The volunteer cyclists involved in this socially distanced project maintained a high awareness of the landscape they traversed. As they came across roadkill along major and rural roadways, they tagged and recorded it. In the process, they provided a clearer picture of the true extent of fatal wildlife interactions with vehicles. This will provide a foundation for designing roadway plans that respect the natural communities they overlay.