Lead-footed drivers have taken a toll on grizzlies in and near Grand Teton National Park, and “sad bear” roadside signs, tugging on their heartstrings, might be the best way to get them to slow down.

“These signs are focused on things that actually trigger your responses,” Paul Lukas, a professor with the University of Montana’s wildlife biology program, told Cowboy State Daily.

“They make you feel empathetic to the animals and think about the situation,” he added.

One of the most effective signs features an image of a forlorn-looking grizzly cub with the message: “Slow down. When a cub dies our community mourns.”

Researchers concluded that the signs reduced speeding by as much as 35% during test runs alongside highways in Grand Teton and along other wildlife corridors in northwest Wyo

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