Spatial and Seasonal Variation in Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

Authors

Jonathan M. Conard, United States Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitFollow
Philip S. Gipson, United States Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Date of this Version

12-2006

Document Type

Article

Citation

The Prairie Naturalist (December 2006) 38(4): 251-260

Associate editor for mammalogy: Brock R. McMillan

Comments

United States government work

Abstract

To understand seasonal variation in the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and the influence of land cover type on collision distribution we counted road-kill carcasses for 84 weeks along a 40 km route on two state highways in northeastern Kansas. We noted land cover type adjacent to each road-kill and tested the null hypothesis that road-kills were distributed randomly with respect to land cover type. Wildlife-vehicle collisions were not distributed randomly in relation to land cover availability. Instead, collisions occurred more often then expected adjacent to riparian areas and less often than expected adjacent to agricultural fields. Wildlife-vehicle collisions varied seasonally and occurred most frequently during the fall. Seasonal changes in traffic volume were not related to the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions observed. Knowledge of land cover types in which wildlife-vehicle collisions are more likely to occur might help wildlife managers and state transportation departments design strategies to minimize the occurrence of these collisions.