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All the Netherlands Hilversum Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo

Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo

The world's longest wildlife overpass provides Hilversum's critters with a safe alternative to trying their luck on the roadway.

Hilversum, Netherlands

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Joshua Foer
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  Globe-trotter / CC BY-SA 4.0
  Wageningen
  Mschapink / CC BY-SA 4.0
  E. Dronkert / CC BY 2.0
memorial rock to commemorate the opening of the bridge by HM Queen Beatrix   jschrlmr / Atlas Obscura User
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The Netherlands is home to over 600 wildlife crossings known as "ecoducts." The longest of these is Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo, which spans a distance of 800 meters long and 50 meters wide.

The Netherlands' ecoducts provide safe passage for animals attempting to traverse a habitat that's been bisected by major roadways; rather than try their luck with traffic, native populations of deer, wild boar, and the endangered European badger can simply wander across on one of these designated wildlife bridges that have been planted to simulate the surrounding environs.

Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo was completed in 2006. Roughly translated as "sand quarry natural bridge," it leads animals safely across the N524 roadway and nearby railways to the surrounding wooded areas, spanning a business park, river, and sports complex in the process.

While structures like Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo are exciting examples of the union between conservation efforts and architectural innovation, curious sightseers should bear in mind that their presence on these natural bridges may discourage wildlife from using the ecoducts.

Related Tags

Animals Architectural Oddities Architecture

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Added By

Josh

Edited By

hrnick, Mike Portanova, jschrlmr, Michelle Cassidy

  • hrnick
  • Mike Portanova
  • jschrlmr
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

May 29, 2013

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Sources
  • http://unusualplaces.org/wildlife-crossing-in-netherlands/
  • http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2012/07/green-bridges-animals/
  • http://www.conservationcorridor.org/corridors-in-conservation/man-made-corridors/
Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo
Hilversum, 1222 AA
Netherlands
52.252069, 5.168957

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