Roadkill

Last updated
The battered remains of a roadkilled deer on South Carolina Highway 170 by the Chechessee River in South Carolina, US Roadkill on Route 170 Okatie Hwy by the Chechessee River, SC, USA, jjron 09.04.2012.jpg
The battered remains of a roadkilled deer on South Carolina Highway 170 by the Chechessee River in South Carolina, US
Wide-ranging large carnivores like this bear are particularly vulnerable to becoming roadkill. Bear roadkill2.jpg
Wide-ranging large carnivores like this bear are particularly vulnerable to becoming roadkill.

Roadkill is a wild animal that has been killed by collision with motor vehicles. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how they can be mitigated. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Roadkill caracal in Afedena (exclosure), Ethiopia Roadkill caracal in Afedena.jpg
Roadkill caracal in Afedena (exclosure), Ethiopia

Essentially non-existent before the advent of mechanized transport, roadkill is associated with increasing automobile speed in the early 20th century. In 1920, naturalist Joseph Grinnell wrote of his observations in the state of California that "this is a relatively new source of fatality; and if one were to estimate the entire mileage of such roads in the state, the mortality must mount into the hundreds and perhaps thousands every 24 hours." [4]

In Europe and North America, deer are the animal most likely to cause vehicle damage.

Causes

Deer that feed in close vicinity to a road are at risk of being killed in a road accident Reh im Feld mit Auto im Hintergrund.jpg
Deer that feed in close vicinity to a road are at risk of being killed in a road accident

The development of roads affects wildlife by altering and isolating habitat and populations, deterring the movement of wildlife, and resulting in extensive wildlife mortality. [5] One writer states that "our insulated industrialized culture keeps us disconnected from life beyond our windshields." [6] Driving "mindlessly" without paying attention to the movements of others in the vehicle's path, driving at speeds that do not allow stopping, and distractions contribute to the death toll. [6] Moreover, a culture of indifference and hopelessness is created if people learn to ignore lifeless bodies on roads. [6]

Intentional collisions

A study in Ontario, Canada in 1996 found many reptiles killed on portions of the road where vehicle tires do not usually pass over, which led to the inference that some drivers intentionally run over reptiles. [7] : 138  To verify this hypothesis, research in 2007 found that 2.7% of drivers intentionally hit reptile decoys masquerading as snakes and turtles. [7] Several drivers were seen to speed up when aiming for the decoys. [7] : 142  Male drivers hit the reptile decoys more often than female drivers. [7] : 140–141  However, 3.4% of male drivers and 3% of female drivers stopped to rescue the reptile decoys. [7] : 140 

Road salt accumulations

On roadways where rumble strips are installed to provide a tactile vibration alerting drivers when drifting from their lane, the rumble strips may accumulate road salt in regions where it is used. The excess salt can accumulate and attract both small and large wildlife in search of salt licks; these animals are at great risk of becoming roadkill or causing accidents. [8] [9] [10]

Distribution and abundance

Very large numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are killed on the world's roads every day. [11] A Humane Society volunteer survey conducted over three Memorial Day weekends in the 1960s estimated that one million vertebrate animals are killed by vehicular traffic daily in the United States. [12] [13] [14] A 2008 Federal Highway Administration report estimates that 1 to 2 million accidents occur each year between large animals and vehicles. Extrapolating globally based on total length of roads, roughly 5.5 million vertebrates are killed per day, or over 2 billion annually. [15]

The estimated number of birds killed on the roads in different European countries ranges from 350,000 to 27 million, depending on the factors such as the geography of the country and bird migration paths. [16]

Species affected

Mortality resulting from roadkill can be very significant for species with small populations. Roadkill is estimated to be responsible for 50% of deaths of Florida panthers, and is the largest cause of badger deaths in England. Roadkill is considered to significantly contribute to the population decline of many threatened species, including wolf, koala and eastern quoll. [17] In Tasmania, Australia the most common species affected by roadkill are brushtail possums and Tasmanian pademelons. [17] In Bolivia there has been a report of an Andean cat, a critically endangered species, dead by a car collision. [18]

In 1993, 25 schools throughout New England, United States, participated in a roadkill study involving 1,923 animal deaths. By category, the fatalities were: 81% mammals, 15% bird, 3% reptiles and amphibians, 1% indiscernible. [19] Extrapolating these data nationwide, Merritt Clifton (editor of Animal People Newspaper) estimated that the following animals are being killed by motor vehicles in the United States annually: 41 million squirrels, 26 million cats, 22 million rats, 19 million Virginia opossums, 15 million raccoons, 6 million dogs, and 350,000 deer. [20] This study may not have considered differences in observability between taxa (e.g. dead raccoons are easier to see than dead frogs), and has not been published in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Observability, amongst other factors, may be the cause for mammal species to dominate roadkill reports, whereas bird and amphibian mortality are likely underestimated. [21]

A year-long study in northern India in an agricultural landscape covering only 20 km of road identified 133 road kills of 33 species comprising amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The study compared road-killed animals with all species seen along the road and estimated that traffic killed individuals of 30% of amphibian species, 25% of reptile species, 16% of birds, and 27% of mammals that were seen in the area. [22]

Insects

A 2007 study showed that insects, too, are prone to a very high risk of roadkill incidence. [23] Research showed interesting patterns in insect roadkills in relation to the vehicle density.

The decrease in insects being killed by cars is known as the "windshield phenomenon". In 2003–2004, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds investigated anecdotal reports of declining insect populations in the UK by asking drivers to affix a postcard-sized PVC rectangle, called a "splatometer", to the front of their cars. [24] Almost 40,000 drivers took part, and the results found one squashed insect for every 5 miles (8.0 km) driven. This contrasts with 30 years ago when cars were covered more completely with insects, supporting the idea that insect numbers had waned. [25]

In 2011, Dutch biologist Arnold van Vliet coordinated a similar study of insect deaths on car license plates. He found two insects killed on the license-plate area for every 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) driven. This implies about 1.6 trillion insect deaths by cars per year in the Netherlands, and about 32.5 trillion deaths in the United States if the figures are extrapolated there. [26] The number grows to 228 trillion per year if extended globally. [15]

Scavengers

One rarely considered positive aspect of roadkill is the regular availability of carrion it provides for scavenger species such as vultures, crows, ravens, foxes, opossums and a wide variety of carnivorous insects. Areas with robust scavenger populations tend to see roadkilled animal corpses being quickly carried off, sometimes within minutes of being struck. This can skew data and cause a lower estimation of the number of roadkill animals per year. [27] In particularly roadkill-prone areas, scavenging birds rely on roadkill for much of their daily nutritional requirements, and can even be seen observing the roadway from telephone poles, overhead wires and trees, waiting for animals, usually squirrels, opossums and raccoons to be struck so they can swoop down and feed. However, such scavengers are at greater risk of becoming roadkill themselves, and are subject to evolutionary pressure to be alert to traffic hazards.

In contrast, areas where scavengers have been driven out (such as many urban areas) often see roadkill rotting in place indefinitely on the roadways and being further macerated by traffic. The remains must be manually removed by dedicated disposal personnel and disposed of via cremation; this greatly increases the public nuisance inherent to roadkill, unnecessarily complicates its disposal, and consumes additional public money, time and fuel that could be spent on other roadway maintenance projects.[ citation needed ]

Research

Roadkill observation projects

The study of roadkill has proven highly amenable to the application of citizen science observation methods. Since 2009, statewide roadkill observation systems have been started in the US, enrolling hundreds of observers in reporting roadkill on a website. The observers, who are usually naturalists or professional scientists, provide identification, location, and other information about the observations. The data are then displayed on a website for easy visualization and made available for studies of proximate causes of roadkill, actual wildlife distributions, wildlife movement, and other studies. Roadkill observation system websites are available for the US states of California, [28] Maine, [29] and Idaho. [30] In each case, index roads are used to help quantify total impact of vehicle collisions on specific vertebrate taxa. Researchers that use data from citizen science platforms may benefit from a large pool of data, specially for iconic, well known conspicuous species. Care must be taken when analyzing data for species that are not easy to identify, as studies have showed that misidentification is not uncommon amongst these platforms. [21]

In the United Kingdom, "The Road Lab" (formerly Project Splatter) was started by Cardiff University in 2012, with the aim of estimating the impact of roads and motoring on British wildlife. [31] Since then it has gathered data on its website, and on several social media platforms including Facebook [32] and Twitter. [33]

In India, the project "Provide Animals Safe Transit on Highways" (PATH) was initiated by the Environment Conservation Group [34] in 2015, to study the impact of roads on Indian wildlife. [35] A team of five wildlife conservationists led by R. Mohammed Saleem had undertaken a forty-four-day expedition, traveling more than 17,000 kilometers across 22 states to study and spread awareness on roadkill. [36] [37] [38] It is also gathering data on its website, and social media platforms. [39] More focused scientific studies on impacts of traffic on animals have been conducted across India especially in the Western Ghats of south India documenting a large number of species of insects, other arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals killed. [40] [41] Another study conducted on 420 km of roads located along cultivated fields in Punjab showed granivorous birds to be killed far more than their availability, likely attracted to spilled grain on the roads. [42]

In the Czech Republic, an online animal-vehicle crash reporting system Srazenazver.cz is gathering both professional (Police, road maintenance) and volunteered data on roadkill and wildlife-vehicle crashes. [43] The application allows users to input, edit and browse data. The data is visualized in the form of maps, graphs or tables and analyzed online (KDE+ hotspots identification, area statistics). [44]

In Australia, wombat roadkill data is collected by the citizen science project, WomSAT. [45] [46] [47]

State wildlife roadkill identification guide

The first wildlife roadkill identification guide produced by a state agency in North America was published by the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation (BCMoT) in Canada in 2008. [48] BCMoT's "Wildlife Roadkill Identification Guide" focused on the most common large carnivores and ungulates found in British Columbia. The guide was developed to assist BCMoT's maintenance contractors in identifying wildlife carcasses found on provincial highways as part of their responsibilities for BCMoT's Wildlife Accident Reporting System (WARS). [49]

Prevention

Mountain goats used to cross US Route 2 to reach a salt lick on the other side of the canyon. Now they can get there via rocky passageways underneath these bridges, shielded from view by tree cover and the steep hillside. Goat underpass.jpg
Mountain goats used to cross US Route 2 to reach a salt lick on the other side of the canyon. Now they can get there via rocky passageways underneath these bridges, shielded from view by tree cover and the steep hillside.
Traffic signs are often used to warn of areas with increased animal activity. These signs are not always successful, as shown by the dead emu in the far distance to the right of the sign. Australia animal warning sign.jpg
Traffic signs are often used to warn of areas with increased animal activity. These signs are not always successful, as shown by the dead emu in the far distance to the right of the sign.

Collisions with animals can have many negative consequences:

Regardless of the spatial scale at which the mitigation measure is applied, there are two main types of roadkill mitigation measures: changing driver behavior, and changing wildlife behavior. [50]

There are three potential ways to change driver behavior. Primary methods focus on changing driver attitude by increasing public awareness and helping people understand that reducing roadkill will benefit their community. The second potential way is to make people aware of specific hazardous areas by use of signage, rumble strips or lighting. The third potential way is to slow traffic physically or psychologically, using chicanes or speed bumps.

There are three categories of altering wildlife behavior. Primary methods discourage wildlife from loitering on roadsides by reducing food and water resources, or by making the road surfaces lighter in color which may make wildlife feel more exposed on the roadway. Second are methods of discouraging wildlife from crossing roads, at least when cars are present, using equipment such as ultrasonic whistles, reflectors, and fencing. Third are mechanisms to provide safe crossing like overpasses, underpasses and escape routes.

Although it is not illegal to help wild animals that are in danger of becoming roadkill, stopping on the highway is potentially dangerous and may result in injury or death of the person that is helping them and/or an inattentive driver that collides into their stopped vehicle. [51]

Large animals

Moose crossing sign with kill counter, Kenai, Alaska. Trees and brush near the road are trimmed back to make approaching moose easier to see. Moosecrossingkenaiak.JPG
Moose crossing sign with kill counter, Kenai, Alaska. Trees and brush near the road are trimmed back to make approaching moose easier to see.

In the US, an estimated 1.25 million insurance claims are filed annually due to collisions with deer, elk, or moose, amounting to 1 out of 169 collision damage claims. [52]

Collisions with large animals with antlers (such as deer) are particularly dangerous, but any large, long-legged animal (e.g. horses, larger cattle, camels) can pose a similar cabin incursion hazard. [53] Injury to humans due to driver failure to maintain control of a vehicle either while avoiding, or during and immediately after an animal impact, is also common. Dusk and dawn are times of highest collision risk. [54] [55]

The recommended reaction to a large animal (such as a moose) is to slow down in lane, if at all possible, and to avoid swerving suddenly, which could cause loss of control. [52] [54] If a collision cannot be avoided, it is best to swerve towards the rear end of the animal, as it is more likely to run forward. [56] Drivers who see a deer near or in the roadway should be aware that it is very likely that other members of a herd are nearby. [57]

Acoustic warning deer horns can be mounted on vehicles to warn deer of approaching automobiles, though their effectiveness is disputed. [58] Ultrasonic wind-driven whistles are often promoted as a cheap, simple way to reduce the chance of wildlife-vehicle collisions. In one study, the sound pressure level of the whistle was 3 dB above the sound pressure level of the test vehicle, but caused no observable difference in behavior of animals when the whistles were activated and not activated, casting doubt on their effectiveness. [59]

In Australia, kangaroos are the most common species hit and killed by vehicles, [60] causing significant damage and even fatalities. Another large species hit and killed by vehicles are wombats. [61] Sightings of wombat roadkill can be logged at WomSAT to help support the implementation of mitigation strategies to reduce wombat deaths. [45] [46]

Small animals

Squirrels, rabbits, birds, or other small animals are often crushed by vehicles. Serious accidents may result from motorists swerving or stopping for squirrels in the road. [62] [63] [64] [65] Such evasive maneuvers are often unproductive, since small rodents and birds are much more agile and quicker to react than motorists in heavy vehicles. There is very little a driver can do to avoid an unpredictably darting squirrel or rabbit, or even to intentionally hit one. The suggested course of action is to continue driving in a predictable, safe manner, and let the small animal decide on the spur of the moment which way to run or fly; the majority of vehicular encounters end with no harm to either party. [53] [66] [67]

Night driving

Although strikes can happen at any time of day, deer tend to move at dusk and dawn, and are particularly active during the October–December mating season as well as late March and early April in the Northern Hemisphere. [57] Driving at night presents its own challenges: nocturnal species are active, and visibility, particularly side visibility, is reduced. Penguins, for example, are common roadkill traffic victims in Wellington, New Zealand due to their color and the fact that they come ashore at dusk and leave again around dawn. [68]

Night time drivers should reduce speed and use high beam headlights when possible to give themselves maximum time to avoid a collision. [57] However, when headlights approach a nocturnal animal, it is hard for the creature to see the approaching car (nocturnal animals see better in low than in bright light). Furthermore, the glare of oncoming vehicle headlights can dazzle some species, such as rabbits; they will freeze in the road rather than flee. It may be better to flash the headlights on and off, rather than leaving them on continuously while approaching an animal. [52]

The simple tactics of reducing speed and scanning both sides of the road for foraging deer can improve driver safety at night, and drivers may see the retro-reflection of an animal's eyes before seeing the animal itself. [54] [55] [67]

Wildlife crossings

Wildlife crossings allow animals to travel over or underneath roads. They are most widely used in Europe, but have also been installed in a few US locations and in parts of Western Canada. As new highways cause habitats to become increasingly fragmented, these crossings can play an important role in protecting endangered species.

In the US, sections of road known to have heavy deer cross-traffic will usually have warning signs depicting a bounding deer; similar signs exist for moose, elk, and other species. In the American West, roads may pass through large areas designated as "open range", meaning no fences separate drivers from large animals such as cattle or bison. A driver may round a bend to find a small herd standing in the road. Open range areas are generally marked with signage and protected by cattle grids.

In an attempt to mitigate US$1.2 billion in animal-related vehicular damage, a few US states now have sophisticated systems to protect motorists from large animals. [69] One of these systems is called the Roadway Animal Detection System (RADS). [70] [71] A solar powered sensor can detect large animals such as deer, bear, elk, and moose near the roadway, and thereafter flash a light to alert oncoming drivers. The sensor's detection distance ranges from 650 feet (200 m) to unlimited, depending on the terrain.

Canopy crossings

Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) on the canopy bridge in Annamalai Hills Lion tailed macaque canopy bridge.jpg
Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) on the canopy bridge in Annamalai Hills

The removal of trees associated with road construction produces a gap in the forest canopy that forces arboreal (tree dwelling) species to come to the ground to travel across the gap. Canopy crossings have been constructed for red squirrels in Great Britain, colobus monkeys in Kenya, and ringtail possums in Far North Queensland, Australia. [73] The crossings have two purposes: to ensure that roads do not restrict movement of animals and also to reduce roadkill. Installation of the canopy crossings may be relatively quick and cheap.

Escape routes

Banks, cuttings and fences that trap animals on the road are associated with roadkill. [74] In order to increase the likelihood of escape from a main roadway, escape routes have been constructed on the access roads. Escape routes may be considered as one of the most useful measures, especially when new roads are being built or roads are being upgraded, widened or sealed. Research may be undertaken into the efficacy of escape routes by observation of animals’ response to vehicles in places with natural escape routes and barriers, rather than trialing purpose-built escape routes.[ citation needed ]

Fencing

In the New Forest, in southern England, there is a proposal to fence roads to protect the New Forest pony.[ citation needed ] However, this proposal is controversial. [75]

Disposal

Removing animal carcasses from roadways is considered essential to public safety. [76] The removal takes away the potential distraction and hazard of the carcass to other motorists. [77] Quick removal can also prevent deaths of other animals that may wish to feed on the carcass, as well as animals that may go into the road to try to move the body of an animal in their social group. [6] Sometimes rather than removal, the carcass is moved to a nearby public right-of-way where it can be consumed by scavengers, but not placed in a ditch or where waterways might be polluted. [76] [77] Covering the carcass with wood chips can aid in decomposition while minimizing odor. [76]

Local governments and other levels of government have services that pick up dead animals from roadways, who will respond when advised about a dead animal.

New York City has an online request form which may be completed by residents of the city. [78] New York State has a process to report dead wildlife to the Department of Environmental Conservation; they are especially interested in marked/tagged wildlife and endangered or threatened species. [79]

In Toronto, Canada, the city accepts requests to remove a dead animal by telephone. [80] If an animal is found along a major highway, depending on who has jurisdiction for maintaining the highway, the request may be directed to the city, the provincial Ministry of Transportation, or a highway operations centre. [81] In Ontario, citizens may keep possession of roadkill in many circumstances, but may have to register their find. [82]

Eating roadkill

If fresh enough, roadkill can be eaten, and there are several recipe books dedicated to roadkill. The practice of eating animals killed on the road is usually derided, and most people consider it not to be safe, [79] sanitary, or wholesome. For example, when the Tennessee legislature attempted to legalize the use of accidentally killed animals, they became the subject of stereotyping and derisive humor. [83] Nevertheless, in some cultures there is tradition of using fresh roadkill as a nutritious and economical source of meat similar to that obtained by hunting.

Cultural references

Music

Songwriter and performer Loudon Wainwright III released his deadpan humorous song, "Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" in 1972, and it peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. [84]

The American band Phish frequently [85] plays the song "Possum", originally from the album The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday at its concerts. The song describes an encounter with a roadkilled opossum and includes the lyric "Your end is the road".

The Horse Flies, an American alt rock/folk band from Ithaca, NY, released an upbeat homage to vehicularly-mediated food security titled "Roadkil" [86] on their 1991 album, "Gravity Dance" exhorting the listener to "Eat what you kill".

Art

Roadkill is sometimes used as an art form. Several artists use traditional taxidermy preparation in their works whilst others explore different artforms. International artist Claudia Terstappen photographs roadkill [87] and produces enormous prints which see the animals floating eerily in a void. [88] American artist Gary Michael Keyes photographs and transforms them into "RoadKill Totems" in his "Resurrection Gallery". [89] American artist Stephen Paternite has been exhibiting roadkill pieces since the 1970s. [90]

Literature

Canadian writer Timothy Findley wrote about the experience of seeing killed animals on highways during travels: "The dead by the road, or on it, testify to the presence of man. Their little gestures of pain—paws, wings and tails—are the saddest, the loneliest, most forlorn postures of the dead I can imagine. When we have stopped killing animals as though they were so much refuse, we will stop killing one another. But the highways show our indifference to death, so long as it is someone else's. It is an attitude of the human mind I do not grasp." [91]

Anthropology

In a 2013 essay, American anthropologist Jane Desmond examined at length the failure of American culture and public discourse to adequately confront the ubiquity of roadkill. She concluded: "The simplest answer is that these animal lives have little value for most of the populations in the United States, as these animals are unowned, lacking in monetary or emotional value, not pets or livestock, and without the charismatic following that megafauna like elephants and lions in zoos receive. This calculus of devaluation clears the way for such carnage to be ignored in public discourse and legal venues, to be out of mind while insistently in sight." [92]

Video games

There are driving video games where players can run over animals, such as the arcade version of Cruis'n USA , as well as video games where players control an animal that crosses roads to avoid becoming roadkill, such as Frogger and Crossy Road .[ citation needed ]

See also

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scavenger</span> Organism that feeds on dead animal and/or plants material

Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding behavior. Scavengers play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming dead animal and plant material. Decomposers and detritivores complete this process, by consuming the remains left by scavengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bird strike</span> Collision between an aircraft and a bird

A bird strike is a collision between an airborne animal and a moving vehicle. The term is also used for bird deaths resulting from collisions with structures, such as power lines, towers and wind turbines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife crossing</span> Structures enabling wildlife to safely cross human-made barriers

Wildlife crossings are structures that allow animals to cross human-made barriers safely. Wildlife crossings may include underpass tunnels or wildlife tunnels, viaducts, and overpasses or green bridges ; amphibian tunnels; fish ladders; canopy bridges ; tunnels and culverts ; and green roofs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Key deer</span> Subspecies of deer endemic to the Florida Keys

The Key deer is an endangered subspecies of the white-tailed deer that lives only in the Florida Keys. It is the smallest extant North American deer species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railroad ecology</span>

Railroad ecology or railway ecology is a term used to refer to the study of the ecological community growing along railroad or railway tracks and the effects of railroads on natural ecosystems. Such ecosystems have been studied primarily in Europe. Similar conditions and effects appear also by roads used by vehicles. Railroads along with roads, canals, and power lines are examples of linear infrastructure intrusions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife corridor</span> Connecting wild territories for animals

A wildlife corridor, also known as a habitat corridor, or green corridor, is an designated area that connects wildlife populations that have been separated by human activities or structures, such as development, roads, or land clearings. These corridors enable movement of individuals between populations, which helps to prevent negative effects of inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity, often caused by genetic drift, that can occur in isolated populations. Additionally, corridors support the re-establishment of populations that may have been reduced or wiped out due to random events like fires or disease. They can also mitigate some of the severe impacts of habitat fragmentation, a result of urbanization that divides habitat areas and restricts animal movement. Habitat fragmentation from human development poses an increasing threat to biodiversity, and habitat corridors help to reduce its harmful effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife observation</span>

Wildlife observation is the practice of noting the occurrence or abundance of animal species at a specific location and time, either for research purposes or recreation. Common examples of this type of activity are bird watching and whale watching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traffic collision</span> Incident when a vehicle collides with another object

A traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle collision, or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other moving or stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole or building. Traffic collisions often result in injury, disability, death, and property damage as well as financial costs to both society and the individuals involved. Road transport is statistically the most dangerous situation people deal with on a daily basis, but casualty figures from such incidents attract less media attention than other, less frequent types of tragedy. The commonly used term car accident is increasingly falling out of favor with many government departments and organizations, with the Associated Press style guide recommending caution before using the term. Some collisions are intentional vehicle-ramming attacks, staged crashes, vehicular homicide or vehicular suicide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deer–vehicle collisions</span>

A deer–vehicle collision (DVC) occurs when one or more deer and a human-operated vehicle collide on a roadway. It can result in deer fatality, property damage, and human injury or death. The number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities varies from year to year and region. Each year in the United States, deer–vehicle collisions resulted in at least 59,000 human injuries and 440 human fatalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Saskatchewan</span> Native animals of Saskatchewan

The Fauna of Saskatchewan include several diverse land and aquatic animal species. From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates, two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan. Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the interior plains and its prehistoric biogeography. Today, Saskatchewan's ecosystems range from the sub-arctic tundra of the Canadian Shield in north Saskatchewan to aspen parkland, the Mid-Continental Canadian forests in the centre of the province and grassland prairie. Fauna inhabit areas unique to their own specific and varied breeding, foraging and nesting requirements. With a large land and water area, and small population density, the ecoregions of Saskatchewan provide important habitat for many animals, both endangered and not. Naturalists observing wildlife have enumerated shrinking and growing wildlife populations. They advocate programs and methods to preserve or re-introduce endangered species and identify programs of control for outbreaks of wildlife populations. A broad diversity of wildlife habitats are preserved as parks and reserves protecting the feeding and breeding grounds of protected and indigenous fauna of Saskatchewan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roadkill cuisine</span> Preparation and consumption of roadkill

Roadkill cuisine is preparing and eating roadkill, animals hit by vehicles and found along roads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road debris</span> Road hazard

Road debris, a form of road hazard, is debris on or off a road. Road debris includes substances, materials, and objects that are foreign to the normal roadway environment. Debris may be produced by vehicular or non-vehicular sources, but in all cases it is considered litter, a form of solid waste. Debris may tend to collect in areas where vehicles do not drive, such as on the edges (shoulder), around traffic islands, and junctions.

Road ecology is the study of the ecological effects of roads and highways. These effects may include local effects, such as on noise, water pollution, habitat destruction/disturbance and local air quality; and the wider environmental effects of transport such as habitat fragmentation, ecosystem degradation, and climate change from vehicle emissions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linear infrastructure intrusions</span>

Linear infrastructure intrusions into natural ecosystems are man-made linear infrastructure such as roads and highways, electric power lines, railway lines, canals, pipelines, firebreaks, and fences. These intrusions cause linear opening through the habitat or breakage in landscape connectivity due to infrastructure creation and maintenance, which is known to have multiple ecological effects in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These effects include habitat loss and fragmentation, spread of invasive alien species, desiccation, windthrow, fires, animal injury and mortality, changes in animal behaviour, pollution, microclimate and vegetation changes, loss of ecosystem services, increased pressures from development, tourism, hunting, garbage disposal, and associated human disturbances. These intrusions, considered crucial infrastructure for economic sectors such as transportation, power, and irrigation, may also have negative social impacts on indigenous and rural people through exposure to novel social and market pressures, loss of land and displacement, and iniquitous distribution of costs and benefits from infrastructure projects. The study of the ecological effects of linear infrastructure intrusions has spawning sub-fields of research such as road ecology and railroad ecology.

A mass mortality event (MME) is an incident that kills a vast number of individuals of a single species in a short period of time. The event may put a species at risk of extinction or upset an ecosystem. This is distinct from the mass die-off associated with short lived and synchronous emergent insect taxa which is a regular and non-catastrophic occurrence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road barrier effect</span> The effect that roads and railways have on the movement of wildlife

The barrier effect of roads and highways is a phenomenon usually associated with landscape ecology, referring to the barrier that linear infrastructure like roads or railways place on the movement of animals. Largely viewed as a negative process, the barrier effect has also been found to have several positive effects, particularly with smaller species. To reduce a road or railway's barrier effect, wildlife crossings are regarded as one of the best mitigation options, ideally in combination with wildlife fencing. The barrier effect is closely linked to habitat fragmentation and road ecology.

Many animal migration patterns are still intact in the greater Jackson area due to the large quantity of protected land. Large animals such as elk, mule deer, and pronghorn have separate winter and summer habitats and are moving in the spring and fall. Elk, moose, and other large animals also converge in the low-lying areas around Jackson during the winter months to escape deep snow at higher elevations. All of this movement increases the likelihood of wildlife-vehicle collisions on roads.

Ranger Red's Zoo & Conservation Park, formerly Peel Zoo, is a zoo and wildlife sanctuary located on the banks of the Murray River in Pinjarra, Western Australia. It is a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association.

A roadkill hotspot or blackspot is an accumulation of roadkill along a given length of roadway with significantly more wildlife-vehicle collisions than expected to occur by chance, based on a normal distribution. Decision-makers can then authorize the construction of roadkill mitigation infrastructure based on roadkill hotspot locations, prioritizing those with the most roadkill in number or those for a particular target species for conservation. Roadkill hotspots vary spatially and temporally, depending on the scale, duration of monitoring, and both the species and season in question. They can be calculated using roadkill survey data; GPS coordinates of roadkill collected by researchers and highway maintenance personnel, or increasingly, civilian-reported data. Additionally, roadkill hotspots can be projected by using a model to ascertain probable locations; models typically use existing wildlife abundance, distribution, and mitigation data combined with landscape variables and climatic data. Models are often used to determine the probable roadkill locations of ecologically sensitive animals or during the planning stages of a new road, it is noted that these locations may not align perfectly with sites of highest animal crossing attempts. Many academics stress the combined value of animal abundance and migration data with roadkill hotspots as a more assured way to ascertain the best locations to construct roadkill mitigation structures.

References

  1. ↑ Bartonička, Tomáš; Andrášik, Richard; Duľa, Martin; Sedoník, Jiří; Bíl, Michal (July 2018). "Identification of local factors causing clustering of animal-vehicle collisions". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 82 (5): 940–947. Bibcode:2018JWMan..82..940B. doi: 10.1002/jwmg.21467 .
  2. ↑ Kušta, Tomáš; Keken, Zdeněk; Ježek, Miloš; Holá, Michaela; Šmíd, Petr (2017). "The effect of traffic intensity and animal activity on probability of ungulate-vehicle collisions in the Czech Republic". Safety Science. 91: 105–113. doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2016.08.002.
  3. ↑ Sáenz-de-Santa-María, Antonio; Tellería, José L. (8 March 2015). "Wildlife-vehicle collisions in Spain". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 61 (3): 399–406. doi:10.1007/s10344-015-0907-7. S2CID   6511474.
  4. ↑ Grinnell, Joseph (May 5, 1920). "May 5 notes". Field Notes, v1323, Section 2: Death Valley, Calif. 1920. cited in: Kroll, Gary (16 January 2015). "An Environmental History of Roadkill: Road Ecology and the Making of the Permeable Highway". Environmental History. 20 (1): 4–28. doi:10.1093/envhis/emu129.
  5. ↑ Ashley, E. Paul; Robinson, Jeffrey T. (1996). "Road mortality of amphibians, reptiles and other wildlife on the Long Point Causeway, Lake Erie, Ontario" (PDF). Canadian Field-Naturalist. 110 (3): 403–412. doi:10.5962/p.357494.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Bekoff, Marc (July 21, 2010). "Animals and cars: One million animals are killed on our roads every day". Psychology Today.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Paul Ashley, E.; Kosloski, Amanda; Petrie, Scott A. (4 June 2007). "Incidence of Intentional Vehicle–Reptile Collisions". Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 12 (3): 137–143. Bibcode:2007HDW....12..137P. doi:10.1080/10871200701322423. S2CID   145197460.
  8. ↑ Huijser, M. P.; Kociolek, A.; McGowen, P.; Hardy, A.; Clevenger, A.P.; Ament, R. (May 2007). Wildlife-Vehicle Collision and Crossing Mitigation Measures: A Toolbox for the Montana Dept of Transportation (PDF) (Report).
  9. ↑ Grosman, Paul; Jaeger, Jochen; Biron, Pascale; Dussault, Christian; Ouellet, Jean-Pierre (11 September 2009). "Reducing Moose–Vehicle Collisions through Salt Pool Removal and Displacement: an Agent-Based Modeling Approach". Ecology and Society. 14 (2). doi: 10.5751/ES-02941-140217 .
  10. ↑ "U.S. FHWA, Public Roads, Of Moose and Mud, Sept/Oct 2005". Tfhrc.gov. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  11. ↑ Case, Ronald M. (1978). "Interstate Highway Road-Killed Animals: A Data Source for Biologists". Wildlife Society Bulletin. 6 (1): 8–13. JSTOR   3781058.
  12. ↑ Lalo, Julie (September–October 1987). "The Problem of Roadkill". American Forests. 93 (9–10): 50–52.
  13. ↑ Wollan, Malia (12 September 2010). "Using Crowds, and GPS, to Chart Roadkill". The New York Times.
  14. ↑ Seiler, Andreas; Helldin, J-O (2006). "Mortality In Wildlife Due To Transportation". In Davenport, John; Davenport, Julia L. (eds.). The Ecology of Transportation: Managing Mobility for the Environment. Springer. pp. 166–8. ISBN   1-4020-4503-4 . Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  15. 1 2 Jensen, Derrick; Keith, Lierre; Wilbert, Max (2021). Bright Green Lies: How the Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It. Monkfish Book Publishing. pp. 346–347. ISBN   978-1948626392.
  16. ↑ Erritzoe, Johannes; Mazgajski, Tomasz D.; Rejt, Łukasz (December 2003). "Bird Casualties on European Roads — A Review". Acta Ornithologica. 38 (2): 77–93. doi: 10.3161/068.038.0204 .
  17. 1 2 3 Hobday, Alistair J.; Minstrell, Melinda L. (2008). "Distribution and abundance of roadkill on Tasmanian highways: human management options". Wildlife Research. 35 (7): 712. doi: 10.1071/WR08067 .
  18. ↑ Nogales-Ascarrunz, P., et al. (2022). Death by car a new threat to the endangered Andean cat. catNews, 'N 76', 19–19. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367412810_Death_by_car_a_new_threat_to_the_endangered_Andean_cat
  19. ↑ "Roadkill 2007 – Summary of Past Data". Roadkill.edutel.com. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  20. ↑ "Animal People Newspaper". Animalpeoplenews.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  21. 1 2 Monge-Nájera, J. (2018). Road kills in tropical ecosystems: a review with recommendations for mitigation and for new research. Revista de Biología Tropical, 66(2), 722–738.
  22. ↑ Sundar, K. S. Gopi (2004). "Mortality of herpetofauna, birds and mammals due to vehicular traffic in Etawah district, Uttar Pradesh, India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 101 (3): 392–398.
  23. ↑ Rao, R. Shyama Prasad; Girish, M. K. Saptha (2007). "Road kills: Assessing insect casualties using flagship taxon". Current Science. 92 (6): 830–837. JSTOR   24097817.
  24. ↑ "'Splatometer' to count bug life". BBC News. 30 June 2003.
  25. ↑ McCarthy, Michael (2 September 2004). "40,000 'splatometers' can't be wrong: insect population is in decline". The Independent.
  26. ↑ Messenger, Stephen (10 Jul 2011). "Trillions of Insects Killed by Cars Every Year, Says Study". TreeHugger. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  27. ↑ Santos, Sara M.; Carvalho, Filipe; Mira, António (27 September 2011). "How Long Do the Dead Survive on the Road? Carcass Persistence Probability and Implications for Road-Kill Monitoring Surveys". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e25383. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...625383S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025383 . PMC   3181337 . PMID   21980437.
  28. ↑ "wildlifecrossing.net/california". Wildlifecrossing.net. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  29. ↑ "wildlifecrossing.net/maine". Wildlifecrossing.net. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  30. ↑ "Roadkill — Wildlife Collision Mortalities | IFWIS". Fishandgame.idaho.gov. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  31. ↑ "The Road Lab" roadkill observation project in the United Kingdom
  32. ↑ "The Road Lab". www.facebook.com.
  33. ↑ "The Road Lab" page on Twitter
  34. ↑ "Environment Conservation Group (ECG) -" . Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  35. ↑ 'PATH' roadkill observation project in India
  36. ↑ Jeshi, K. (31 March 2016). "When animals cross the road…". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  37. ↑ Jeshi, K. (26 December 2015). "Stop! The animals are crossing". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  38. ↑ "Awareness drive to prevent roadkill on forest routes". The Hindu. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  39. ↑ "PATH – Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  40. ↑ Rao, Shyama Prasad; Girish, M. K. Saptha (2007). "Road kills: Assessing insect casualties using flagship taxon". Current Science. 92 (6): 830–837. JSTOR   24097817.
  41. ↑ Sheshadri, K. S.; Ganesh, T. (2011). "Faunal mortality on roads due to religious tourism across time and space in protected areas: A case study from south India". Forest Ecology and Management. 262 (9): 1713–1721. Bibcode:2011ForEM.262.1713S. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.07.017.
  42. ↑ Dhindsa, M. S.; Sandhu, J. S.; Sandhu, P. S.; Toor, H. S. (1988). "Roadside Birds in Punjab (India): Relation to Mortality from Vehicles". Environmental Conservation. 15 (4): 303–310. Bibcode:1988EnvCo..15..303D. doi:10.1017/S0376892900029799.
  43. ↑ "Srazenazver.cz – Registry of animals hit by car on roads and railways".
  44. ↑ "Kdeplus.cz – Cluster identification software".
  45. 1 2 WomSAT.org.au
  46. 1 2 Skelton C, Cook A, West P, Spencer R-J, Old JM (2018). Building an army of wombat warriors: developing and sustaining a citizen science project. Australian Mammalogy. 41, 186–195 doi: 10.1071/AM18018
  47. ↑ Mayadunnage S., Stannard HJ, West P, Old JM (2022). Identification of hotspots and the factors affecting wombat vehicle collisions using the citizen science tool, WomSAT. Australian Mammalogy. Accepted doi: 10.1071/AM22001
  48. ↑ "th.gov.bc.ca". th.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  49. ↑ "th.gov.bc.ca". th.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-02-06. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  50. ↑ Magnus, Zoë; Kriwoken, Lorne K.; Mooney, Nicholas J.; Jones, Menna E. (2004). Reducing the Incidence of Wildlife Roadkill: Improving the visitor experience in Tasmania. Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. p. 3. ISBN   978-1-920704-79-7.
  51. ↑ "Woman faces life in prison after saving ducks". YouTube . 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12.
  52. 1 2 3 "Watch Out For Animals In The Road". State Farm. Sep 10, 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  53. 1 2 Tchir, Jason (July 8, 2014). "What should you do if you see an animal on the road?". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  54. 1 2 3 Chan, Emily (June 20, 2014). "Wait – don't swerve! How to safely share the road with wildlife". CTV News. BellMedia. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  55. 1 2 "What You Should Do If There's An Animal On the Road". DefensiveDriving.com. March 2, 2011. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  56. ↑ "Animals on the Road". Safe Drive Directory. Safe Drive Training. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  57. 1 2 3 "How to Minimize the Chances of Hitting Animals". DriversEd.com. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  58. ↑ Palmer, Janice. "Deer-Whistles Ineffective, Says Bioacoustics Researcher." November 2002. 21 November 2008
  59. ↑ Magnus, Zoë; Kriwoken, Lorne K.; Mooney, Nicholas J.; Jones, Menna E. (2004). Reducing the Incidence of Wildlife Roadkill: Improving the visitor experience in Tasmania. Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. p. 10. ISBN   978-1-920704-79-7.
  60. ↑ Green-Barber JM, Old JM (2019). What influences road mortality rates of eastern grey kangaroos in a semi-rural area? BMC Ecology. 4, 11. doi: 10.1186/s40850-019-0047-8
  61. ↑ Mayadunnage S., Stannard HJ, West P, Old JM (2022). Identification of hotspots and the factors affecting wombat vehicle collisions using the citizen science tool, WomSAT. Australian Mammalogy. doi: 10.1071/AM22001
  62. ↑ Marshall, Edward (March 31, 2008). "Squirrel blamed for accident: Couple struck head-on after woman swerves to avoid animal". The Journal (Martinsburg, WV). Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  63. ↑ "Driver says squirrels made him crash into garage". Chicago Sun-Times. October 3, 2011. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  64. ↑ "Confused squirrel causes three-car accident". South Whidbey Record. Sound Publishing Inc. 25 Jun 2008. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  65. ↑ "Vancouver island driver who hit the brakes for squirrel causes huge four-vehicle crash". National Post. Postmedia Network Inc. May 26, 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  66. ↑ "Swerving can be worse than hitting animal on road". USA Today. 11 Jan 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  67. 1 2 "Animals on the road". Ontario Ministry of Transportation: Driver's Handbook. Government of Ontario. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  68. ↑ "Roadkill in Wellington". 13 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  69. ↑ Huijser, Marcel P.; McGowen, Patrick T.; Camel, Whisper (2006). Animal vehicle crash mitigation using advanced technology phase I: review, design, and implementation. Western Transportation Institute.[ page needed ]
  70. ↑ "Roadway Animal Detection System, Sensor Technologies & Systems, Inc" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-31. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  71. ↑ "Animal Detection System, Safeguards Technology, LLC" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-11-16.
  72. ↑ Rishika Pardikar. "Saving the Lion-Tailed Macaque, One Step at a Time".
  73. ↑ Norwood, Chris (1999). "Linkages in the Landscape: The Role of Corridors and Connectivity in wildlife Conservation". Pacific Conservation Biology. 5 (2): 158. doi: 10.1071/PC990158 .
  74. ↑ Shaw, R.A., Jones, M.E. and Richardson, A.M.M. (2003) Predicting the location of wildlife road-kill in Tasmania (In-prep.)[ full citation needed ] cited in: Magnus, Zoë; Kriwoken, Lorne K.; Mooney, Nicholas J.; Jones, Menna E. (2004). Reducing the Incidence of Wildlife Roadkill: Improving the visitor experience in Tasmania. Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. p. 14. ISBN   978-1-920704-79-7.
  75. ↑ "Fencing to protect ponies". BBC News. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
  76. 1 2 3 "Disposal of roadkill and other dead animals by municipalities?", Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, 05/09/2011.
  77. 1 2 "The Good and Bad of Road Kills — How You Can Help Save Lives", Hancock Wildlife Foundation, March 17, 2010.
  78. ↑ "Service Requests: Dead Animal Removal Request", Department of Sanitation, New York City, accessed Sept. 18, 2014.
  79. 1 2 "Reporting Dead Wildlife", Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State, accessed Sept. 18, 2014.
  80. ↑ "Dead animal removal – on City or private property". City of Toronto 311 Knowledge Base. 15 February 2017.
  81. ↑ "Dead animal removal – on a City expressway – highways". City of Toronto 311 Knowledge Base. 15 February 2017.
  82. ↑ "Keep a dead wild animal". Ontario. Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
  83. ↑ Firestone, David (1999-03-14). "Statehouse Journal; A Road-Kill Proposal Is Food for Jokesters". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
  84. ↑ "Dead Skunk by Loudon Wainwright III Songfacts". Songfacts.com. 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
  85. ↑ Steinberg, David. "Possum History". Phish.net. The Mockingbird Foundation. Retrieved 2016-08-25.
  86. ↑ YouTube.com
  87. ↑ "Roadkill (After Life). — Claudia Terstappen". Claudiaterstappen.com. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
  88. ↑ "Place Gallery". Placegallery.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
  89. ↑ "The Resurrection Gallery – Turtle Island RoadKill Totems". Garymichaelkeyes.com. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
  90. ↑ "Roadkill artist speaks of controversial work". Stroud News & Journal. 26 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  91. ↑ Timothy Findley, from 1965 journal, in Journeyman: Travels of a Writer (2003, Pebble Publications), ISBN   0-00-200673-1, p. 16.
  92. ↑ Desmond, Jane (2013). "Requiem for Roadkill: Death and Denial on America's Roads". In Kopnina, Helen; Shoreman-Ouimet, Eleanor (eds.). Environmental Anthropology: Future Directions. New York: Routledge. pp. 46–58. ISBN   9781135044138 . Retrieved 2 January 2021. See p. 55.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.