Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions and Mitigation: Current Status and Factor Analysis in South Korea

Severe habitat loss and fragmentation due to extensive road development have escalated wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) as one of the major causes of wildlife mortality. This study, spanning 9 years from 2009 to 2017, presents comprehensive WVC data in South Korea, including species composition, s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals (Basel) 2024-10, Vol.14 (20), p.3012
Main Authors: Hwang, Ju-Won, Jo, Yeong-Seok
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biologists
Biology
Discriminant analysis
Fences
Generalized linear models
Geospatial data
Health aspects
mitigation strategies
National parks
Regions
road features
road-kill
Roads & highways
species composition
Speed limits
Traffic
Variables
Vegetation
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Summary:Severe habitat loss and fragmentation due to extensive road development have escalated wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) as one of the major causes of wildlife mortality. This study, spanning 9 years from 2009 to 2017, presents comprehensive WVC data in South Korea, including species composition, seasonal and regional patterns, and road factors influencing WVCs, aiming to analyze their impact and propose effective mitigation strategies. We collected WVC data with road variables for 9 years from 4561 km of nationwide monitoring road sections and analyzed the data to understand the relationship between WVCs and road characteristics, as well as species-specific patterns. A nationwide survey identified 13,606 WVCs involving 143 terrestrial vertebrate species, and patterns and models of the top seven mammal species (raccoon dog ( ), Siberian chipmunk ( ), Siberian weasel ( ), water deer ( ), red squirrel ( ), Korean hare ( ), and leopard cat ( )) were presented. Patterns revealed declines in WVCs overall, except for water deer. Although spatial differences in WVCs seemed linked more to wildlife habitats, certain road features correlated both positively or negatively with WVC frequency, highlighting complexities in the effectiveness of preventative measures. For effective mitigation and prevention of WVCs, comprehensive strategies considering species traits, seasonality, and road types should be implemented.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani14203012