Image via Joel Sartore

Wildlife crossings are more than simple road signs as you speed down the highway.

Increasingly, animal bridges are being employed around the globe for preserve our ecosystems.

The first animal bridges sprung up in France in the 1950s.

wildlife crossing banff national park alberta canada

Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. Image via Joel Sartore

In fact, Europe is a leader in the sector.

They can also boast of having the world’s longest wildlife overpass.

Conservationists use wildlife overpasses to stop habitat fragmentation and animal-vehicle collisions.

wildlife crossing ecoduct belgium

Belgium. Image viareddit

Image viareddit

New Jersey.

Image viaDoug Kerr

Netherlands.

Image viareddit

Banff National Park.

new jersey wildlife overpass

New Jersey. Image viaDoug Kerr

Image viaThe Pedigree Artist

Netherlands.

Image viaIzismile

Christmas Island, Australia.

Image via Christmas Island National Park

Washington.

ecoduct netherlands animal conservation

Netherlands. Image viareddit

wildlife crossing in Germany

Germany. Image viareddit

wildlife crossing animal bridge alberta

Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. Image viareddit

animal bridge montana

Montana. Image viaThe Pedigree Artist

animal bridge netherlands

Netherlands. Image viaIzismile

animal crossing the netherlands

Netherlands. Image viaIzismile

crab bridge christmas island

Christmas Island, Australia. Image via Christmas Island National Park

nutty narrows squirrel bridge

Washington. Image viaBruce Fingerhood