Roadkill Data Research Articles

Spatial–temporal patterns in Mediterranean carnivore road casualties: Consequences for mitigation

Many carnivores have been seriously impacted by the expansion of transportation systems and networks; however we know little about carnivore response to the extent and magnitude of road mortality, or which age classes may be disproportionately impacted. Recent research has demonstrated that wildlife–vehicle-collisions (WVC) involving carnivores are modulated by temporal and spatial factors. Thus, we investigated road mortality on a guild of small and medium-sized carnivores in southern Portugal using road-kill data obtained from a systematic 36 months monitoring period along highways (260 km) and national roads (314 km) by addressing the following questions: (a) which species and age class are most vulnerable to WVC? (b) are there temporal and/or spatial patterns in road-kill? and (c) which life-history and/or spatial factors influence the likelihood of collisions? We recorded a total of 806 carnivore casualties, which represented an average of 47 ind./100 km/year. Red fox and stone marten had the highest mortality rates. Our findings highlight three key messages: (1) the majority of road-killed individuals were adults of common species; (2) all carnivores, except genets, were more vulnerable during specific life-history phenological periods: higher casualties were observed when red fox and stone marten were provisioning young, Eurasian badger casualties occurred more frequently during dispersal, and higher Egyptian mongoose mortality occurred during the breeding period; and (3) modeling demonstrated that favorable habitat, curves in the road, and low human disturbance were major contributors to the deadliest road segments. Red fox carcasses were more likely to be found on road sections with passages distant from urban areas. Conversely, stone marten mortalities were found more often on national roads with high of cork oak woodland cover; Egyptian mongoose and genet road-kills were found more often on road segments close to curves. Based on our results, two key mitigation measures should help to reduce WVC in Portugal. The first involves the improvement of existing crossings with buried and small mesh size fence to guide the individuals towards to the passages, in road segments with high traffic volume (>1200 vehicles/night) and located in preferred carnivore habitats. The second mitigation involves cutting or removal of dense vegetation in verges of road segments with curves to aid motorists in seeing animals about to cross.

Nonfatal motor-vehicle animal crash-related injuries—United States, 2001–2002

Daily, a large number of animals are killed on European roads due to collisions with vehicles. A high proportion of these events, however, are not documented, as those obliged to collect such data, only record a small proportion; the police only register collisions that lead to traffic accidents, and hunters only collect data on game wildlife. Such reports disproportionately under-records small vertebrates such as birds, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. In the last decade, however, national wildlife roadkill reporting systems have been launched, largely working with citizen scientists to collect roadkill data on a national basis that could fill this data gap. The aim of this study is, therefore, to describe for the first time, existing projects in Europe, and the user groups that submit data to them. To give a deeper understanding of such projects, we describe exemplar scientific roadkill reporting systems that currently exist in Austria, Belgium, Czechia and the United Kingdom. We define groups of people who contribute to such citizen science activities, and report our experience and best practice with these volunteers. We conclude that volunteers contribute significantly to collecting data on species that are not typically recorded in official databases. To ensure citizen-science projects perpetuate, (I) volunteers need to be motivated by the organisers to participate on a long-term basis, (II) volunteers need support in identifying roadkill species where required, and (III) regular feedback is required on how their contribution is used to produce new scientific knowledge.

The effects of traffic on the raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and other mammals in Japan

We investigated the extent of raccoon dog roadkills, and the factors influencing them, using data from the National Expressways in Japan for 1987–1998. A high rate of raccoon dog roadkills occurred in western Japan, whereas a relatively low rate was typical of the central region and of Hokkaido. Kills on the National Expressways increased as traffic and the length of the road network increased between 1987 and 1998. The relationship between mortality and traffic volume was scale-dependent. The number of roadkills was positively correlated with traffic volume at national level, but negatively correlated with the amount of traffic along sections of an individual major road between exits. There were spring and autumn peaks, and possibly early morning and evening peaks, of mortality. Mortality was higher for roads in a cutting, where the road was closer to water, and where the roadside habitat was broad-leaved woodland. Coniferous forest was negatively associated with roadkills. The total numbers of roadkills on four types of roads (National Expressways, National, Prefectural, and Municipal roads), was estimated to be between 110,000 and 370,000 in 1998. We suggest some preventative measures which might mitigate road casualties (while remaining attentive to human safety). Roadkill data, after controlling for traffic volume, can be useful as a population trend index. Patterns for racoon dogs are compared with those for other species.