An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Mitigation Measures at Roadkill Hotspots in South Korea

Abstract

Collisions between wildlife and vehicles or roadkill remain a persistent issue. This poses a significant threat to the safety of both wildlife and drivers. The lack of systematically managed roadkill records poses challenges for nationwide research and comprehensive assessment in South Korea. Since 2018, the Ministry of Environment (MOE), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), and National Institute of Ecology (NIE) in South Korea have been implementing roadkill investigations and management. The areas selected for roadkill mitigation measures were determined through hotspot analysis based on nationwide roadkill data collected using the Korean Roadkill Observation System (KROS), an integrated online platform. In this study, the top 50 roadkill hotspots were selected, and appropriate mitigation measures, including wildlife fences, warning signs, and speed enforcement cameras, were implemented. A total of 190.6 km of wildlife fences, 75 warning signs, and 27 speed enforcement cameras were installed. The results of these implementations revealed an average reduction in roadkill incidents of 80.2%. Subsequently, we compared and analyzed roadkill incidents before and after these mitigation measures were implemented. The comparative analysis based on hotspot grades showed that areas with lower grades had relatively lower reductions in roadkill incidents. Moreover, the study showed that the presence of multiple mitigation measures in a single area did not significantly differ from the effects of a single mitigation measure. This research will contribute to an enhanced understanding of roadkill mitigation measures and aid in preventing wildlife accidents on the road.