From Highways to Biological Collections: Plastination of Wild Animals Victims of Roadkill in the Sooretama Biological Reserve, Brazil

Abstract

Roadkill is one of the most direct impacts on fauna, leading to numerous direct and indirect impacts. Road-killed animals could serve as a resource for research and teaching purposes, but first, they need to have their tissues preserved by some technique. Plastination is one of the most modern techniques for the conservation of biological tissues, its principle is the replacement of body fluids by a curable polymer, resulting in a non-toxic, odorless, and manipulable material. So the main aim of this work was to compose a collection of plastinated roadkill victims from the Biological Reserve Sooretama region, adapting the standard protocol to the different taxa worked here (Avialae, Reptilia, Amphibia, and Mammalia). For this, 42 animals were used, previously frozen and stored in the Sooretama Biological Reserve and Vale Natural Reserve until they were sent for processing. Upon arriving at the Plastination laboratory at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, the animals underwent the 4 stages of plastination: fixation, dehydration, forced impregnation, and chemical cure; some adaptations were made to improve the final specimens. The results proved that the plastination of these animals is extremely viable in generating satisfactory results. Given the results obtained, HIGHLIGHTS• Room temperature shows advantages to plastinate birds.• The run over animals can compose a collection of high quality plastinated specimens.• There are necessary adaptations in plastination for each class of vertebrates, but the standard protocol can produce good specimens.• Run over animals plastinated can be used in environmental and scientific education.