Teeming with wildlife and natural spaces, the UK is often celebrated as a rural sanctuary. With an estimated 70,000 species of animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms – our small island boasts a wealth of biodiversity.
Despite this remarkable figure, the UK’s rich natural heritage is under growing threat. Since the 1970s, there has been a 13% decline in species population. According to the recent State of Nature Report, the UK is one of the most wildlife-depleted countries in the world.
Whilst our native wildlife are subject to risks like habitat loss, poaching, and disease – one large contributing factor to their decline is wildlife-traffic collisions. In this blog we will discuss the issues these incidents cause to our beloved wildlife and their habitats as well as simple ways to mitigate the risk of colliding with an animal.
Changes in road infrastructure have led to a stark increase in wildlife-traffic collisions over the last few decades. With 14,649 deaths reported per year, hundreds of animals are killed on UK roads every week. However, only a small fraction of wildlife collisions are actually reported, which means the true figure is substantially higher – leaving the remaining casualties as undocumented roadkill.
With its abundance of rural habitats, the South of England experiences the highest number of animal collisions in the country. According to a study conducted by Nottingham Trent University, roadkill is the leading cause of death in almost one third of populations studied, including the iconic Barn Owl.
National estimates of yearly wildlife mortality due to traffic collisions include 50,000 badgers, and approximately 335,000 European Hedgehogs – highlighting the significant impact of roadways on UK wildlife populations.
The Consequences of Roadkill
Beyond the ethical concerns of wildlife-traffic collisions, studies show that road mortality has significant ecological impacts.
● Disrupts Breeding Dynamics: As the leading cause of death for many species, collisions can lead to substantial population declines. Statistically, this often results in a deficit of adult males, disrupting breeding dynamics and population stability.
● Population Fragmentation: Another consequence of road mortality is population fragmentation, whereby continuous populations are broken into smaller ‘subpopulations’. Fragmentation undermines crucial ecological processes such as dispersal – thereby reducing genetic variance. Over time, this can lead to population isolation, increasing the risk of inbreeding and local extinction.
Dispersal is the movement of an animal, or its genetic material within a species.
Mitigation Strategies
Several countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada have successfully reduced mortality rates through the use of wildlife crossings. These structures vary in design to accommodate different species, and typically run above and below roads, eliminating the need for animals to cross them directly. By functioning as semi-natural corridors, wildlife crossings provide safe passages for animals, thereby reducing the risk of collisions.
With almost 90,000 miles of road, The Netherlands is estimated to have 600 wildlife crossings. In contrast, the United Kingdom has only 6. While this statistic may be disheartening, there is still plenty you can do to help protect wildlife on UK roads.
How You Can Help Wildlife on UK Roads
We’re proud to partner with Evergreen Insurance Services, a company dedicated to protecting nature. Evergreen is an ethical insurance broker that not only donates a percentage of their insurance policy commission to charities like Brent Lodge, but they are also passionate about using their platform to raise awareness and share essential safeguarding tips to safeguard our precious wildlife and environment from human-related incidents, such as road traffic collisions. Here are some simple but impactful mitigation strategies that drivers can adopt to reduce the risk of wildlife collisions.
● Go Slow: Whilst it may seem obvious, sticking to the speed limit is one of the best ways you can help prevent wildlife-traffic collisions as well as cats or dogs wandering across the road. Some drivers have a tendency to speed at night when there is less traffic. However, many species affected by road collisions are nocturnal, such as the European Hedgehog, for whom road accidents represent 10–20% of their annual mortality. If an animal comes into view, make sure to switch to dipped headlights to avoid blinding the animal. Sticking to the limit also helps you to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, giving you more time to brake and increasing your chances of preventing a collision.
HELPFUL TIP: Remember that if one deer leaps across the road they are likely to be followed by more. So it is advised to wait a few minutes until it is clear of crossing deer to continue your journey.
● Safely Report and Remove Roadkill: Witnessing an already deceased animal continue to be run over is distressing. If a large animal is obstructing the road and causing a safety concern, then it is best to call the police so they can safely move their remains. Not only is this making the road safe from further incidents it also reduces the risk of scavenging wild animals becoming victims to further collisions.
You can also report roadkill incidents to a database. Established in 2013, The Road Lab in Cardiff collects citizen data to investigate wildlife-road interactions and roadkill mitigation strategies. To report a sighting, all you need is the date, location and name of the species. Anyone can report their observations, and each report supports vital scientific research into the impact of road infrastructures on UK wildlife.
What to Do in the Event of an Animal Collision
Colliding with an animal can be a frightening experience, and it can be difficult to know what to do to. We have partnered with Evergreen to provide some helpful tips to ensure the safety of you, your passengers and the best way to get help for any injured animals. If you find yourself in a wildlife-traffic collision, here's what you could do;
Pull Over to a Safe Spot: First and foremost, prioritise your wellbeing and to stay calm. If you are able to do so, pull over to a safe location and put your hazard lights on.
Assess Injuries of Yourself and Other Passengers: Check for any injuries among yourself and other passengers. If injuries are present, call emergency services immediately. In most cases, if a driver with fully comprehensive insurance is injured in a collision with wildlife, their policy will cover them. However, there are rare instances where insurers may not include this protection. That’s why it is vital to double-check the policy details before purchasing insurance to ensure full cover in the unfortunate event of a wildlife-related accident. Contact Evergreen for further details on a getting a fully comprehensive policy.
Evaluate the Animal’s Condition: If it is safe to do so, observe the animal to evaluate its condition. If the animal is deceased, report the incident to The Road Lab. If the animal is alive, call your local wildlife hospital for further guidance. You can locate your nearest wildlife hospital on Brent Lodge’s website. Note that if the animal is obstructing traffic, it is considered a road hazard and must be reported to the police. Incidents involving dogs and livestock must also be reported.
Take Small Animals to a Wildlife Hospital: If your collision involves a small animal like a bird, hedgehog or squirrel, carefully place them in a dark, contained space like a cardboard box lined with a towel or newspaper. Make sure not to handle wild animals with your bare hands – wear gloves if available to you.
It is important not to attempt to handle large animals such as foxes, deer, badgers and swans. These animals must only be handled by experienced wildlife rescuers, to ensure both your safety and the animal’s wellbeing. Call for assistance in these circumstances.
Once admitted to a rehabilitation clinic, animal casualties can receive treatment for a range of conditions from concussion, broken limbs to temporary blindness – enabling them to recover and return safely to the wild. Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital, we care for an average of 3,000 patients per year and dozens of these are admitted with injuries suspected to related to road collisions. At best will require medications and veterinary treatment or surgeries and at worst most will humanely euthanised to ease their suffering.
Our work would not be possible without the help of our generous supporters. With rehabilitation efforts costing us £400,000 each year, we rely heavily on donations to fund our vital work. Consider donating today, and play your part in the restoration of British wildlife.
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