I-90 Wildlife Watch Needs Your Help

I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is the busiest east-west crossing through the Cascade Mountains. It is also a very deadly area for wildlife.

I-90 intersects the rugged Cascade Mountains in Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass region, which has been identified as a critical link in the north-south movement of wildlife. This area is also the focus of an extensive effort by the Washington State Department of Transportation to improve highway efficiency and make I-90 safer for people and wildlife. The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition, the Western Transportation Institute, and other I-90 Wildlife Watch partner organizations are currently gathering information about wildlife between North Bend and Easton to help inform highway planning at Snoqualmie Pass.

Memorial Day weekend is infamous for its traffic, and I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass is no exception. Sadly, a black bear attempting to cross the busy highway near Hyak that  Sunday morning didn’t make it: the 250-pound male was killed by a vehicle in the eastbound lanes after reportedly navigating westbound traffic . The vehicle immediately drove away, and the bear’s carcass  was collected by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife–which will use the hide for classroom education. I-90 Wildlife Watch received several other reports that weekend as well, including 3 live deer and 2 dead raccoons.

I-90 Wildlife Watch is a citizen-based wildlife monitoring project that invites motorists to report wildlife sightings along I-90 in the Snoqualmie Pass region of Washington. If you’re at least 18 years old and you observed (living or dead) wild animals while you were traveling I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass, your help is needed! Please click on the “Report a Wildlife Sighting” link below to answer a few brief questions about your sighting. Your participation is voluntary, and you’re welcome to remain anonymous.

Report wildlife sightings here.

Visit the I-90 Wildlife Watch site here.