Elk (Cervus elaphus) railway mortality in Ontario

Abstract

Wildlife railway research is highly underrepresented in science despite documented wildlife–train collision mortalities. Gathering baseline information is imperative to the development of effective train collision mitigation, especially for at-risk or small reintroduced populations such as elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) in eastern North America. We tested our hypotheses that elk–train collision rates vary in relation to railway structure and weather by using a combination of radiotelemetry and railway mortality surveys. Elk were closer to the railway in winter than in any other season. Elk–train collision sites were significantly closer to the apex of bends in the railway than random locations along the railway, and collision rates were positively related to snow depth. Railways may be perceived by elk as easy travel corridors, and deep snow likely prohibits escape from oncoming trains. This study gathered important information about an under-studied aspect of wildlife–human conflicts and provides a basis for the investigation of other species that may be affected by railways.

Novel step selection analyses on energy landscapes reveal how linear features alter migrations of soaring birds

“…The effects of linear features on the movement of large terrestrial mammals are relatively well understood (Dyer et al, 2002; Whittington et al, 2004; Dickson et al, 2005; Latham et al, 2011; Whittington et al, 2011; McKenzie et al, 2012; Tremblay and Clair, 2009; DeMars et al, 2016; Dickie et al, 2017; Popp et al, 2018), but, here, we showed that anthropogenic linear features can also affect movement and space use of avian species during migration. Our approach was analytically nuanced, incorporating the affects of energy subsidies key to soaring movement into the the movement process.…”

“…data ). Railways are, however, responsible for substantial mortality in large mammals (e.g., ungulates; Becker and Grauvogel, 1991; Gundersen and Andreassen, 1998; Popp et al, 2018), potentially concentrating carrion resources for migrating eagles. As both railway and road densities decline with increasing latitude in North America, they were included in models as an interaction with latitude in addition to their main effects.…”

“…These effects arise via a myriad of mechanisms. Linear features change the permeability of the landscape (Dyer et al, 2002; Whittington et al, 2004; Dickson et al, 2005; McKenzie et al, 2012; Tremblay and Clair, 2009), the distribution of food (Latham et al, 2011; Whittington et al, 2011; McKenzie et al, 2012; Dickie et al, 2017), and the spatial distribution of mortality risk (James and Stuart-Smith, 2000; Latham et al, 2011; Whittington et al, 2011; DeGregorio et al, 2014; Popp et al, 2018). Some linear features have negative effects that are unidirectional in predator-prey interactions.…”

“…Roads and railroads can have marked effects on ecological communities. Vehicle collisions are responsible for substantial mortality in animals (Trombulak and Frissell, 2000; Fahrig and Rytwinski, 2009; Becker and Grauvogel, 1991; Gundersen and Andreassen, 1998; Popp et al, 2018), and vehicle traffic elicits avoidance responses in a wide variety of taxa (Scrafford et al, 2018). Roads can also serve as barriers to movement and disrupt population connectivity (Strasburg, 2006; Shepard et al, 2008).…”

“…Such roadside habitat changes, as well as road noise and general disturbance by moving vehicles, has altered the distribution, abundance, and behavior of many species (Meunier et al, 2000; Fahrig and Rytwinski, 2009; McClure et al, 2013). Carrion is also often disproportionately abundant along roads and railways due to vehicle collisions (Becker and Grauvogel, 1991; Gundersen and Andreassen, 1998; Trombulak and Frissell, 2000; Fahrig and Rytwinski, 2009; Popp et al, 2018), which can subsequently attract scavengers and opportunistic predators (Prosser et al, 2008; Lambertucci et al, 2009; Santos and Carvalho, 2011). These conditions generally create a unique species assemblage and an associated set of resources and risks; that risk is often imposed on both predator and prey.…”