Excessive road kill

[Purplepixii]

This weekend I travelled through Hampshire, Surrey (M27, M3, A3M, M25) and I couldn't believe how much road kill I saw. Most distressing (for me) was a cat at the side of the road but there were so many dead birds and mammals too.

I know there's always road kill at one time or another, but this weekends was excessive and distressing. Has anyone else noticed an increase this past month or so?

Purplepixii

[demicav]

I haven't noticed an increase myself but maybe some areas and roads are worse than others. I always find it upsetting and it really makes me angry that so many millions die on our roads every year. It is a sign of the times though and well, what can people do to make a difference ? The answer to this I don't know.

[Brocker]

I think the biggest problem with this time of the year is fireworks. With the evenings darker earlier and the fact that fireworks are on sale, most animals are not used to the bangs. With many houses having their own displays as well the big organised events, there is no escape from the noise. We all know how wild animals are easily spooked.....

[honeybee]

There is a pheasantry near a dual carriageway a few miles from me and every year in breeding season the carnage is terrible. Also bad for drivers because it's pretty scary if a bird that size hits your windscreen. I've never hit an animal while driving and hope I never do.

[mh68]

Sadly as traffic continues to increase so will road kills. Been a lot here recently too, but mostly myxi Rabbits unable to dodge the cars. Not nice to see but cant be helped.

Mark H

[barquar]

had a near miss off an accident when travelling up to the lake district last week. Travelling behind a lorry when this big white animal or bird was dead in the slow carriageway it went straight under the car, i thought it was a sheep but my friend said it was to white to be a sheep. so it must have been a swan. it made a bumping noise as we went over it. Good job it didnt catch the front wheels. I think it was between junction 35 and 36. It was on top off us before you could do anything to avoid it a bit scary.
Barquar

[seamusagleann]

could have been a swan ,they seem to mistake motorways for water courses . i've seen two dead Badgers on the main road outside the village , pardon my ignorance but are the young "cast out" at this time of year? also several Mink , but sorry no tears shed !

[PMG]

Originally Posted by demicav

I haven't noticed an increase myself but maybe some areas and roads are worse than others. I always find it upsetting and it really makes me angry that so many millions die on our roads every year. It is a sign of the times though and well, what can people do to make a difference ? The answer to this I don't know.

Agree demicav - some roads are worse than others: the M40 always has dead Badgers and foxes - the A55 in Wales ditto - tho last week I was relieved to see only one Fox and no recent Badgers..... There is a huge sett system on the embankment in one spot - but in all these years I've never seen a Badger dead below it or even near it - when we had a closer look - the Badger paths all lead away uphill and into the fields over the top - none come down to the carriageway! Long may they be clever Badgers with long lives

I don't like to talk about hitting stuff with the car - fearing that saying or writing it might 'break my duck' and have me running into things right left and centre I do wish folks would slow down on country roads and expect wildlife to appear out of nowhere - if you're travelling slower, you and it, have a better chance of taking avoiding action. It amazes me when folks are stupid enough to say 'I didn't see it - it came out of nowhere' of course it did - that's the nature of the problem - that;s what you have to be ready for Badgers squirrels pheasants and cats all make a dash for it and hope for the best - they don't understand any other way to get across........

Pauline

[shirl]

Our main road kills here are Badgers, usually just before or after a village and sometimes both. Really sad, I am surprised we have any left. I do contact the Derbsyhire Badger group who try & collect and do post mortems on them to determine habitat, food etc. Never been lucky enough to have to report a live one, all dead I am afraid.

Shirl

[Lance Morgan]

We have a lot of deer nearby and i have seen a couple dead this year on the way to work, one was in a ditch. On the way home both carcasses had disappeared . During the summer i was driving along and a deer leapt over the hedge and ran straight over the road infront of me. Scared me to death and how we did'nt connect i'll never know They can cause a write off if you are unfortunate to hit a deer even a small one.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by shirl

Our main road kills here are Badgers, usually just before or after a village and sometimes both. Really sad, I am surprised we have any left. I do contact the Derbsyhire Badger group who try & collect and do post mortems on them to determine habitat, food etc. Never been lucky enough to have to report a live one, all dead I am afraid.

Shirl

That's good as there have been cases of baited Badgers being chucked on the roadside to look like an accident.

[Lance Morgan]

This year i have seen more dead Badgers on Lincolnshire's roads than anything else except pheasants perhaps.

[animalb]

Yes, I've seen a lot of road kill, I posted about a month ago about it too. The last few weeks it has died down, although I saw a poor pheasant shot and half alive flapping about in the road, only to be faced with a large group of 'men' and guns 200 yards up the road.
I guess with the shooting brings more road casulties as birds and mammals flee...

[naturelover]

all i can say is glad i dont drive,i wouldnt want to see all those dead animals and birds,i know it cant be helped because they have no traffic sence what so ever,but as you say if only the traffic would slow down and give them a chance it would help.