Nature Conservation 5/2008 — 21. 10. 2008 — Research, Surveys and Data Management
Automobile Transport and Vertebrate Mortality
A rapid development in automobile transport influences substantially not only the landscape itself, but also viability and survival of wild animal populations inhabiting such influenced landscape.
At present, the most serious affect of automobile transport is generally considered to be habitat fragmentation which splits original wildlife distribution ranges and home ranges and establishes small and thus genetically nonviable populations. In Europe, habitat fragmentation is among the main drivers of decline and loss of many wildlife species. Other environmental affects include habitat degradation and loss caused by developing new transport infrastructure or noise and air pollution. Killing wild animals by collision with cars has been also remarkable. The article quantifies vertebrate mortality on roads in the Czech Republic. The outputs of the research clearly show that mortality on roads has been a factor significantly endangering the species population dynamics (e.g., the Common Hare Lepus europaeus, European Roe Deer Ca preolus capreolus or Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra). The authors attempt to raise awareness of the topic including seeking for its reasonable solutions.