Wildlife Roadkill Surveys and Conservation Welfare

Systematic roadkill surveys provide vital data on wildlife mortality from roads and support conservation and welfare interventions to reduce vehicle collisions.

Key Facts

Roads kill an estimated 1 million vertebrates per day in the United States alone
Roadkill disproportionately affects wide-ranging species such as otters, badgers, and hedgehogs
Citizen science roadkill recording apps such as Project Splatter have collected millions of records
Roadkill hotspots identified through surveys can prioritise wildlife crossing installation
Some injured animals recorded as roadkill survive if detected and reach wildlife rehabilitation
Vehicle speed reductions in biodiversity-sensitive areas reduce wildlife mortality significantly

Welfare Considerations

Roads represent one of the largest sources of direct wildlife mortality globally, yet the welfare dimension of this issue receives less attention than its conservation implications. Animals struck by vehicles may suffer prolonged injuries before dying, and many casualties go unrecorded, making the true scale difficult to assess. Roadkill surveys serve a dual purpose: they identify mortality hotspots for conservation infrastructure investment, and they can facilitate rapid reporting of injured survivors to rehabilitators. Welfare-aware survey protocols train volunteers to assess whether recorded animals are alive and in need of rescue, not just to collect mortality data. Road planning that incorporates wildlife crossing design from the outset can prevent both deaths and suffering.

What You Can Do

Join a citizen science roadkill recording project in your country
Report injured wildlife found on roads to local wildlife rehabilitators immediately
Slow down when driving through wildlife-rich areas, especially at dawn and dusk
Advocate for wildlife crossing infrastructure on known roadkill hotspot roads
Support campaigns for speed reductions on rural roads through sensitive habitats