Wild Animals

Wildlife Traffic Mortality and Mitigation

Roads kill millions of wild animals annually; targeted mitigation measures can significantly reduce this mortality.

Key Facts

An estimated 50,000 hedgehogs are killed on UK roads annually
Deer collisions cause around 74,000 accidents annually in the UK costing 11 million pounds
Badgers, foxes, red squirrels, and many reptiles are all significant road casualties
Wildlife crossings including underpasses and overpasses dramatically reduce mortality where installed
Seasonal timing of road closures or speed limits can reduce casualties during migration periods

Welfare Considerations

Road traffic is one of the largest human-caused sources of wildlife mortality and injury. Animals hit by vehicles experience acute trauma, and many injured animals die slowly after crawling away from roads. Mitigation through wildlife crossings, fencing, and speed reduction around wildlife hotspots is effective and cost-efficient.

What You Can Do

Report road casualty data to local wildlife recording groups
Advocate for wildlife crossings in new road construction planning
Drive more carefully in areas with wildlife crossing signs
Support organisations that record and map wildlife road mortality data
Create wildlife-friendly habitat adjacent to busy roads to reduce crossing frequency