Slowing Down for Spring's Vulnerable Wildlife

Spring is in full bloom. Blackberries are sending out fresh shoots, passion vines have broken through the soil, and the young bluebirds in their nest are already loud enough to be heard across the yard. The front-stoop skinks have awakened, the first lightning bugs are flickering in the trees, and the ruby-throated hummingbird has safely returned to Tennessee after wintering in South America. These annual signs of the season help ease my concerns about the natural world.

Yet not all spring indicators bring comfort. For several weeks, robins have been darting across roads at tire level. Their reasons remain unclear—whether driven by hormonal urges, hunger after a harsh winter, or simply a disregard for their ability to fly above danger. Each morning, I find myself holding my breath, hoping these low-flying robins avoid harm.

Such concern might feel trivial given the ongoing assaults on environmental protections. Recent policy changes have weakened vital safeguards like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, eased restrictions on drilling and mining in public lands, curtailed fishing protections, slowed renewable energy growth, and led to significant cuts in personnel tracking climate change and managing national parks and forests.

These actions come at a time when scientific data reveal alarming declines in wildlife populations worldwide. A recent global study reported dramatic decreases—95 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, 76 percent in Africa, and 60 percent in Asia and the Pacific. Additionally, a study published just days ago highlights that North American bird populations have plummeted, with 75 percent of species affected, including losses in traditionally thriving habitats.

Spring also brings other vulnerable wildlife moments: turtles slowly crossing roads to lay eggs, squirrels panicking and changing direction when cars approach, and baby opossums clinging precariously to their mothers' backs. Witnessing these scenes, I make a conscious effort to slow down while driving.

If everyone took the time to reduce speed and pay attention during these seasonal crossings, it would offer at least a small measure of safety to the wild creatures navigating the roads that cut through their habitats.