Rope bridges a love lifeline for squirrels

LEEDS, England, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The presence of rope bridges in parts of Scotland help red squirrels avoid traffic accidents and increase their chance of breeding, researchers say.

Researchers at the University of Leeds in Britain say they found the rope bridges in Scotland's Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park gave the rodents access to natural areas full of potential new mates, The Times of London reported Saturday.

University researcher Stephen Lockwood said his group learned the bridges increase squirrel breeding while also giving the animals a travel alternative to dangerous regional roadways.

"This isn't just about cutting down on the number of squirrels killed on the roads," he told the Times. "We also know that when a natural habitat becomes fragmented, such as by the introduction of unnatural barriers like roads, there is a lesser chance of the species surviving in the long term because the opportunities for breeding are fewer. The bridges encourage the squirrels to explore a wider area, and therefore lessen the chance of inbreeding."