Suncor Energy’s wildlife bridges at Firebag are already proving to be a big success.

The oil company released an update on the initiative on Thursday as a way to celebrate Earth Day.

According to Suncor, a lot of their operations and infrastructures at the site were interfering with natural paths of migration.

To combat this, 24 structures were built on top of gathering lines which either bring steam from the plant to the well pads or take emulsion to the plant for processing.

“It’s important that we give the wildlife in this area the ability to migrate in their natural path,” says Dustin Wells, Senior Advisor, Environmental & Regulatory Operation Services.

“Our buildings and operations have a potential to impact these animals and if we don’t create an alternative overpass, we could be hindering their ability to get food, water, and mate. It’s one of the ways we can create a more well-balanced ecosystem.”

In 2019, 38 species were detected by wildlife monitoring cameras. This included the American kestrel, Canada lynx, great gray owl, and moose which has been the most frequent users of the bridges.

“At first, [Earth Day] was rejoicing our love for nature, but times have changed and now it’s so much bigger than that,” added Wells.

“As changes are happening to the environment around us, we must actively seek change and advocate for this planet and animals.”