Temporal patterns of wildlife roadkill in the UK

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Wildlife Management

Background:

• Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) are a significant cause of mortality for wild mammals and birds in the UK.
• Citizen science initiatives provide valuable data for understanding ecological patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze temporal patterns of wildlife roadkill in the UK using a large citizen science dataset.
• To identify seasonal variations in road mortality for common taxa and explore contributing factors.
• To assess the implications of these patterns for wildlife conservation and human safety.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over 54,000 wildlife roadkill records from a UK citizen science scheme (2014-2019).
• Statistical analysis to identify seasonal patterns (unimodal, bimodal) in roadkill for 19 common taxa.
• Investigation of the influence of abiotic factors (temperature, rainfall) on roadkill observations.

Main Results:

• Thirteen out of 19 commonly reported taxa exhibited significant seasonal variations in road mortality.
• Species displayed either unimodal or bimodal seasonal patterns, linked to breeding, dispersal, or foraging behaviors.
• Red fox, European polecat, and muntjac deer showed no significant seasonality in roadkill.
• High rainfall was associated with decreased roadkill observations for certain bird taxa and European rabbits.
• Seasonal patterns highlight increased risks for drivers, impacting human welfare.

Conclusions:

• Seasonal patterns in wildlife roadkill are strongly influenced by species-specific behaviors and, to some extent, abiotic factors.
• Quantifying these temporal trends is essential for effective wildlife conservation strategies and mitigating human safety risks.
• The study underscores the significant anthropogenic impact of WVCs on wild populations.