Endangered Wildlife Trust releases roadkill data
Of the 120 roadkill observed by the roadkill research team, 62 were amphibians, 27 were reptiles, 20 were birds, ten were mammals and one was not identifiable.
Surveys of wild animals killed by passing traffic have produced strong data and several recommendations.
This is according to Bridgestone, which sponsored the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s (EWT) recent investigations into the issue of roadkill in the Pilanesberg National Park.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust is based in Modderfontein.
The surveys, conducted by the EWT between October 21 and November 23, 2014, consisted of on-site investigations of roadkill as well as questionnaires completed by 302 visitors to the park.
Of the 120 roadkills observed by the roadkill research team, 62 were amphibians, 27 were reptiles, 20 were birds, 10 were mammals and one was not identifiable.
Vehicle numbers were monitored by the use of traffic counting devices.
However, the roadkill research team soon discovered that elephants had taken a liking to the devices and damaged them.
Drawing on previous research, which has shown that elephants dislike the smell of chilli pepper, the team then applied a daily coating of chilli pepper and oil onto the counters. The traffic counting devices were then protected from further damage.
One of the most interesting aspects of the project was the role of speed in contributing to roadkill.
“More than 95 percent of respondents to the questionnaire survey believe that speed is the sole cause of roadkill. Our aim was to investigate this issue in more detail,” said the EWT’s Wildlife and Roads Project executant, Ms Wendy Collinson.
Compliance with park speed limits was found to be high, with 72 percent of the 6 981 vehicles monitored driving at or below the speed limits.
In order to investigate the role of speed in determining rates of roadkill, the research team placed fake animals on the road and observed the behaviour of 201 drivers.
“Of these drivers, almost 70 percent were considered to not be looking at the road, but rather scanning the bush for wildlife,” said Ms Collinson.
“This suggests that many roadkills in national parks happen because of the expectation that animals are to be found in the habitat alongside the road, rather than on the road itself,” she added.
The team did not find a significant relationship between the number of fake animals hit and the speed at which the vehicles were travelling, with 71.5 percent of drivers driving over the animals when assessed to be driving less than 20 kilometres an hour, 62.1 percent when driving between 20 and 40 kilometres an hour and 74.2 percent driving more than 60 kilometres an hour.
“From our survey, it seems that observation levels of the driver, rather than the speed of the vehicle, is the key factor in preventing roadkills,” said Ms Collinson.
“One of our recommendations from the latest roadkill survey is that a driver awareness campaign be launched in parks to make drivers more aware of animals on the roads themselves,” she said.
Ms Collinson also said she was concerned about the low awareness levels of roadkills among park visitors.
“Of the 284 respondents who had visited a park previously, only 2.8 percent had noticed roadkill, with 6.3 percent noticing a roadkill on their current visit,” she said.
Mr Steven Dell, Pilanesberg National Park’s Field Ecologist, said that despite the use of road signs both at the park gates and within the park, as well as efforts to raise public awareness of roadkill, roadkill still occurs.
“This project was extremely beneficial to the park as it has assisted in identifying the cause for roadkill and will enable us to focus our future public awareness efforts,” he said.
The next stage of the project will shortly commence in the Addo Elephant National Park.
