India builds red roads to protect wildlife
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In Madhya Pradesh, India, authorities constructed a two-kilometer stretch of road with red thermoplastic markings to encourage drivers to slow down and protect animals.
The National Highway 45 passes through a key wildlife corridor between the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, where animals frequently cross to reach different habitats.
The red surface creates a visual contrast that alerts drivers they are entering an area with a high risk of animal crossings, prompting them to reduce their speed. This project is part of a larger effort to improve safety for both drivers and wildlife. Alongside the “red road,” workers built twenty-five underpasses over 11.9 kilometers of highway, allowing animals to safely pass beneath the road.
They also installed fencing to guide animals toward these underpasses, encouraging them to avoid crossing the highway altogether. The initiative arose after several accidents involving wildlife occurred in the region, including one incident where a reintroduced cheetah was struck by a vehicle. Officials hope this combination of measures will help reconcile modern infrastructure with the need to protect biodiversity, and the Madhya Pradesh experiment may serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.
