Wildlife Crossings of Hope: Connecting Creatures Around the Globe

Gr 6-9–With human civilization and roads dividing wilderness into pieces, the need for connections between those patches of land or sea become more vital all the time. Readers learn about the freeway that divided Liberty Canyon Natural Preserve in two. The arrival of a young mountain lion in Griffith Park in the heart of Los Angeles opened people’s eyes to the dangers wildlife face when crossing roadways and other human constructed spaces. While the book begins and ends with Liberty Canyon and the work going into the construction of the wildlife crossing there, the author goes on to discuss various projects around the world intended to help various types of wildlife survive by connecting remaining pieces of habitat through overpasses, tunnels, and even tiny bridges made from bamboo. The importance of helping wildlife through connectivity projects shines through the text loud and clear. The handful of illustrations are beautiful; there are no photographs of the various habitats and projects. Readers may feel the lack of photographs keenly.