France tests road signs to protect endangered lynx
A three-year trial in the Haut-Jura aims to assess whether signs can reduce road collisions
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France is to test whether road warning signs can help reduce collisions with endangered lynx, with a three-year trial beginning in the Haut-Jura this autumn.
The signs feature a lynx pictogram and will be installed from September on sections of the N5 and N57 national roads, as well as departmental roads in the Ain, Doubs and Jura.
Lynx warning signs have already been used in France. The test in Haut-Jura is a three-year experiment to assess their effectiveness, as part of France’s national action plan for the Eurasian lynx.
Why the Jura?
The Jura massif is home to nearly 80% of France’s lynx population, making it a natural testing ground for the experiment.
It is estimated by conservation group FERUS that around 80-100 of them leave in the area. Lynx can also be found in the Vosges and in several areas of the northern Alps, including the Chartreuse, Bauges, Bornes and Chablais. A few of them are also regularly detected in Burgundy, the Beaujolais and the Massif Central.
The Eurasian lynx is classified as “endangered” on France’s national Red List, and road collisions are its leading recorded cause of death, with around 20 cases detected each year over the past decade.
“The Eurasian lynx is particularly vulnerable to collisions because of its large home range,” the government said in announcing the trial.
Previous research by Cerema, the French government agency responsible for technical expertise on transport, infrastructure and the environment which will evaluate the signs, found that collisions can be concentrated on particular stretches of road.
Researchers examined factors including traffic, vehicle speeds, road layout and surrounding forest corridors to identify areas where lynx were most at risk.
How will success be measured?
Cetema will examine drivers’ behaviour and their perception of the signs, as well as whether the measures help reduce collisions.
The trial is designed to test whether the lynx symbol can encourage motorists to be more cautious in areas where animals may cross.
The number of collisions can also vary for reasons unrelated to signage, including weather etc. External factors may be important when assessing whether any change can be attributed to the signs.
If the trial is judged successful, the government says the approach could eventually be extended to other areas where lynx are at risk.
The experiment follows earlier Cerema work in the Haut-Jura that identified high-risk road sections and considered a range of measures, including wildlife crossings and fencing aimed at reducing vehicle speeds.
