Factors causing traffic killings of roe deer Capreolus capreolus in Denmark

Abstract

In Europe, roe deer Capreolus capreolus is one of the biggest mammal spe cies killed in traffic, and the number of accidents seems to increase. The pur pose of our paper is to point out the most important factors causing traffic k illin g s and to suggest conservation measures that may reduce the number of roe deer killings in traffic. Our study is based on data including 115 roe deer killed in traffic at the K al& oslash; estate in East Jutland, Denmark, during 1956Denmark, during -1985 No sig nificant correlation was found between the number of traffic killings of roe deer and mean daily traffic, but the number of roe deer killed in traffic varied sig nificantly over the seasons. The distribution pattern of roe deer/car collision sites was clumped. The risk of being killed in traffic was highest for young and old roe deer. Significantly more adult females, adult males and subadult males than expected were killed in traffic, and significantly more individuals were killed in years when most of the fields next to the roads were left unsown in winter. We suggest that the following measures be taken to prevent traffic killings: increasing areas with winter cereal or wintergreen fields, clearing the vegeta tion adjacent to roads and reducing car speed in high-risk areas.

Deer-vehicle collisions in Lubelskie region in Poland. Safety coefficients

“…1). The highest number of incidents was noted in Puławy (161), Lubartów (132), and Białą Podlaska (107) Districts, whereas the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions was the lowest in Janów (14), Opole (14), and Łęczna (18) Districts ( Table 2). The problem of road accidents involving Cervidae species persists across Europe Putman, 2005, 2006).…”

Temporal patterns of deer–vehicle collisions consistent with deer activity pattern and density increase but not general accident risk

“…A meta-analytic approach (Steiner et al, 2014) highlighted diurnal bouts and seasonal activity peaks of roe deer, most prominently in early spring and during the mating or rutting season. This temporal pattern is typical for Central Europe (Groot Bruinderink and Hazebroek, 1996;Pokorny, 2006;Lagos et al, 2012;Rodríguez-Morales et al, 2013), while under more extreme climate conditions, the DVC risk shifts towards colder months (Madsen et al, 2002;Compare et al, 2007).…”

Bird Casualties on European Roads — A Review

“…This is especially important where roads are level with or raised above the adjacent terrain (Ramsden 2003). The artificial elevation of roads and vegetation in close proximity to the road should be avoided -especially where highway networks meet (Madsen et al 1998).…”