Roads kill millions of wild animals annually across the UK, and road ecology science is developing practical mitigation measures that can significantly reduce this welfare harm.
Road mortality causes acute trauma deaths for millions of individual animals annually. Larger species including badgers and deer are often fatally injured but may survive initially, experiencing prolonged suffering before death. Smaller animals including hedgehogs and amphibians are killed instantly in most collisions. The welfare impact is multiplied by the cumulative effect on populations - road-fragmented habitats reduce the genetic diversity and resilience of wildlife communities. Road ecology mitigation including underpasses, wildlife crossings, and exclusion fencing significantly reduces mortality at identified hotspots. Speed reduction in rural areas during peak wildlife movement periods also reduces both mortality and the suffering associated with wounding.