Wildlife

Wildlife Roadkill Reduction

Road traffic kills billions of wild animals annually — one of the largest and most underappreciated sources of wildlife mortality.

Key Facts

Roads kill an estimated 1 million vertebrates per hour in the US alone
Roadkill disrupts wildlife populations and genetic diversity
Wildlife crossing infrastructure reduces mortality by up to 97%
Hedgehogs, badgers, and deer are among the most affected species in Europe

Welfare Considerations

Road mortality causes traumatic deaths and injuries — many animals die slowly after being struck. Beyond individual suffering, road networks fragment wildlife populations, cutting off migration routes and gene flow. The scale of roadkill-related suffering is enormous yet receives relatively little policy attention compared to other wildlife threats.

What You Can Do

Drive cautiously in areas with roadkill warning signs
Report roadkill to citizen science databases
Advocate for wildlife crossing infrastructure in infrastructure planning
Support organizations working on road ecology and wildlife connectivity