Wild Animal Road Mortality Hotspots

Roads cause enormous wildlife mortality globally, and identifying and mitigating hotspots is a critical welfare and conservation intervention that saves millions of animal lives.

Key Facts

Roads kill an estimated one million vertebrates per hour globally according to some analyses
Hedgehogs, badgers, otters, and deer are among the most frequently road-killed mammals in the UK
Road mortality hotspots cluster at points where wildlife corridors cross roads, particularly near water
Wildlife crossing structures such as tunnels and overpasses can reduce mortality by up to 90% at target sites
Citizen science road kill recording apps have greatly improved data quality for hotspot identification

Welfare Considerations

Road mortality causes acute trauma and death in millions of individual animals annually, representing one of the largest direct human causes of wildlife suffering. Hotspot mitigation through physical structures — underpasses, tunnels, bridges, and exclusion fencing — has been shown to be highly effective at reducing mortality at specific crossing points. The welfare case is strongest for species with low reproductive rates where individual deaths have greater population impact, but all road mortality involves individual suffering. Increasing road accident data collection through citizen science and incorporating wildlife crossing requirements into road design standards are the most scalable policy interventions.

What You Can Do

Contribute road kill observations to citizen science databases such as Project Splatter or iRecord
Reduce driving speeds at night and in areas known for wildlife crossing activity
Support campaigns for wildlife crossing structures on major roads adjacent to nature reserves and corridors
Advocate for wildlife crossing requirements to be incorporated into road planning and environmental impact assessments
Donate to organisations working to map and mitigate wildlife road mortality hotspots