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A GPS collar provides movement data to the
Anteaters & Highways project to make safer
roads for drivers and anteaters.

Wildlife, Roads, and The Lake Wobegon Effect

by Tim L. Tetzlaff,
Naples Zoo Director of Conservation

t’s January 26, 2023. I’m drivers mistakenly assume speeding in crossing zones is safe even
on Zoom call where my at night when it’s most dangerous. Compounding this is The Lake
Iemotions swing between Wobegon Effect (aka illusory superiority) named after A Prairie
disheartened and hopeful. I’m Home Companion’s fictional town “where all the women are strong,
joined in Naples by Painted all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”
Dog Research Trust Executive Amusing in fiction, but when over 90% of drivers rank themselves
Director Dr. Greg Rasmussen better than all others, that false confidence isn’t benign.
in from Zimbabwe as he Then the IUCN Behavior Change Coordinator fascinates me
shares the literal impact of with her line of questioning and agrees to a follow up meeting with
vehicular collisions on this Greg and me. I finish the call 30 minutes over time and beyond
critically endangered species. grateful that experts like these are so engrossed in the discussion to
To seek solutions, I’ve set help a colleague.
up this call with experts who share his challenges. His data is While the greater challenge remains, there is a simple personal
emotionally punctuated with graphic photos. It’s heartbreaking. solution available to me and anyone willing to act: Be smarter than
As Dr. Arnaud Desbiez begins sharing, I recall seeing giant the average driver. And that can start with a Socrates-style
anteaters lying alongside Brazilian highways. As project realization that most of us are the average driver. Here
coordinator of Anteater & Highways, their multi- are some thoughts I use to keep rooted in reality.
year research revealed a staggering annual loss 1) Braking distance increases exponentially
of 64 anteaters per 100 miles of road – but with speed and reaction time isn’t immediate.
also how that led their state government to At 50 mph, I need half a football field to stop.
implement mitigation measures for new road But at 70 mph, I’d be far into the end zone.
construction. I’m encouraged. Wet pavement? I’m in the locker room.
A panther biologist reinforces the success 2) Having a decent chance avoiding an
of our own I-75 fences and underpasses and animal as large as a moose at night requires
a renowned road ecologist on the call then driving 40 mph – hence the wisdom of the
reinforces that expensive infrastructure such 45-mph nighttime speed in panther crossing
as that is the most successful at saving human zones.
and animal lives. Of course, Greg recaps that 3) Young drivers have more overall crashes,
Zimbabwe is short on funds and abundant on but shockingly there is no spike on the graph for
elephants that tear down fences. Even here in Florida them with wildlife collisions – suggesting animals on
where infrastructure is absent, a panther faces twice the roads are like kryptonite to my driving skill.
risk of getting in car crash as you and me and is 100 times more 4) Driving the nighttime speed in a 3-mile wildlife crossing
likely not to survive. Positivity is waning. only adds 60 seconds to my drive offset by the lifegiving benefits of
The road ecologist warns that cost-effective solutions like reducing my urge to swerve away into a canal or head-on collision.
reduced posted speeds in wildlife crossings are attractive, but Join me in getting your panther crossing sticker reminder at
research confirms most people ignore the risk. Afterall, driving www.panthercrossing.org. And when we see those around Naples
fast is fun and our roads are designed for efficiency so uninformed that can make us all feel hopeful!

Life in Naples | March 2023 27