There are more pronghorn in Wyoming than people. Add in mule deer, elk and other big game populations, and human residents find themselves outnumbered several times over. Wyoming’s wildlife are residents, too. That’s why on Wyoming’s 130th statehood anniversary, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming Department of Transportation are inviting you to show your state pride with a Wyoming Wildlife Conservation License plate.
“People in Wyoming take an amazing amount of pride in the diverse and abundant wildlife in our state. The Wildlife Conservation License Plate supports a good cause and shows others that you are part of a club of people who are making a difference for wildlife,” said Brian Nesvik, Director of Game and Fish.
Nearly 6,000 big game animals like deer, pronghorn, elk, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats die each year from collisions with vehicles on Wyoming’s highways and interstates. Funds generated from the Wildlife Conservation License Plate will help fund overpasses, underpasses, fencing and signage to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The speciality license plate features Wyoming’s iconic mule deer. The initial price of the plate is $180 with a $50 renewal fee each year, in addition to registration fees. The plate is available anytime - not just with renewals. Information on how to purchase the Wildlife Conservation License Plate is on the WYDOT website.
“The Wildlife Conservation Plate is a great way for Wyomingites to proudly display their commitment to the safety of both motorists and wildlife,” said WYDOT Director K. Luke Reiner. “The funds collected from this plate will help us continue to build infrastructure that will keep our roads safer. Our mission is to provide a safe and effective transportation system, and the wildlife conservation plate is one avenue that can help us achieve that.”
For 2020, Gov. Mark Gordon has challenged Wyoming drivers to put 2,020 Conservation License Plates on the road, part of the Game and Fish Wildlife Crossing initiative. Currently, 1,450 sets have been purchased.
For more information on efforts to prevent collisions with wildlife, visit Game and Fish Wildlife Crossing webpage.
