| Abstract [eng] |
Animal roadkills on the road were partly conditioned by overspeeding and insufficient number of the road signs. Our results show, that animal roadkills are quite big compared to the short road segment. In the foreign countries problems of the animal roadkills receive more attention, as except damage done to the nature, there are problems of safety, material losses and possible charges to a road service if warning road signs were absent. Object of this investigation were animals, killed on the road Vilnius–Dūkštos (segment length – 26 km). Aim this work was to evaluate species composition of the killed animals, seasonality and influence of the surrounding habitats. Investigation was done while driving this segment twice per day and registering animals killed. Rules of the road were obeyed – no stops under sign or interrupting other vehicles, thus, not all of the killed animals were collected or pictures taken. Places of the roadkills were mapped. In the period of 2004.11.01–2006.05.01number of killed animals was 378; out of these 44 mammals, 1 bird (young Tawny Owl) and 333 amphibians (common/moor frogs). Biggest number of mammal roadkills was done in the dark period of the day and in August–September, while that of amphibians – in April. No kills were registered in January and February. Species composition of mammals: 21 hedgehogs, 4 stone martens, 2 yellow-necked mice, 2 brown rats, 1 fox, 1 brown hare, 8 cats and 4 dogs. According our results and literature analysis, possibility of accidents can be lowered by (1) maintaining speed limit, (2) choosing driving style according time of the day and weather, using car lights and (3) imposing speed limit in the places with most intensive animal crossing. Most expensive and efficient means are proof fences or exclusion fences with one-way gates and wildlife underpasses. |
