Road safety isn’t only crucial for humans.
At the start of August, a baby deer was hit by a car in Buckinghamshire, England. Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital’s rescue team was called to the scene. They transported the deer to the hospital for further care, but it was too late.
“Sadly,” the hospital’s official Facebook post read, “her injuries were far too severe and despite our best efforts we were unable to save her.”
The post went on to highlight how these collisions are far too common, “especially at this time of year, when young deer are dispersing and wildlife is more active near roads.”
This young deer’s death is the unfortunate result of habitat fragmentation. According to the Woodland Trust, a habitat is fragmented when parts of it are destroyed, leaving behind smaller pockets of limited space. This lowers animals’ quality of life; hunting, foraging, and mating are all made more difficult, which can result in species decline.
In the case of deer, roads are built where vast woodlands once were, forcing deer to risk their lives crossing busy streets.
These collisions can also be fatal to humans. Though no humans were reportedly injured in this case, a 2023 report estimated that over 700 people are injured or killed annually from deer vehicle collisions in the UK.
Fortunately, there are solutions. Wildlife overpasses, like the one under construction in Colorado, provide a great example of how humans and wildlife alike can travel in harmony. Animals can cross underneath the highway on their original paths, while cars drive above. Meanwhile, in Oregon, officials developed a mobile app that tracks roadkill, identifying hotspots for future wildlife crossing structures.
Hopefully, solutions like these will be adopted worldwide. Until then, be careful on the road.
“These calls never get easier for our team, who do everything they can to give animals a second chance,” Tiggywinkles’ post read. “Please, if you’re driving near woodlands or open countryside, slow down and stay alert.”
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