Roadkill records of reptiles and birds in Cerrado and Pantanal landscapes

Abstract

We monitored reptile and bird roadkills in Cerrado–Pantanal landscapes along the Campo Grande to Corumbá highway BR-262. We describe species distribution in different landscape zones, including the first geographic record for Hydrodynastes bicinctus Herrmann, 1804 in the Pantanal basin. The roadkill occurrence of Spizaetus melanoleucus (Vieillot, 1816) is an outstanding record. We recorded 930 individuals belonging to 29 reptile and 47 bird species; 20 of these species are new roadkill records in Brazil. The 8 new records of reptile species include Eunectes notaeus Cope, 1862, Bothrops mattogrossensis Amaral,1925, Dracaena paraguayensis Amaral,1950 and H. bicinctus; and 12 new records of bird species include S. melanoleucus, Heterospizias meridionalis Latham, 1790, Urubitinga urubitinga (Gmelin, 1788), Pulsatrix perspicillata (Latham, 1790), Aramus guarauna (Linnaeus, 1766), and Jabiru mycteria (Lichtenstein, 1819). Richness of road-killed species on the BR-262 highway seemed to be high, reinforcing concerns about wildlife-vehicle collisions where these accidents occur, as they lead to long term and chronic impacts on wildlife and road safety in the Pantanal region.

Threats to the Biodiversity of the Brazilian Pantanal Due to Land Use and Occupation

“…On only one of our trips we recorded 21 mammals (anteaters, foxes, armadillos, capybaras and others) run over on highways BR 267 and 060. Reptiles and birds were recorded killed along highway BR 262, which cuts through the Cerrado towards the Pantanal (Campo Grande to Corumbá), showing 930 animals run over, 29 reptiles and 47 birds (FISCHER et al, 2018b). This monitoring, which lasted four years (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000), indicated 20 run-over species that did not appear in previous records.…”

Sustainability Agenda for the Pantanal Wetland: Perspectives on a Collaborative Interface for Science, Policy, and Decision-Making

“…The Instituto de Conservac¸ão de Animais Silvestres has found more than 500 medium to large mammals belonging to 18 species, including vulnerable ones such as the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla, n ¼ 124), killed by vehicles along a stretch of 350 km BR-262 between 2013 and 2014 (Ascensão et al, 2017). Moreover, more than 320 reptiles and 350 birds were killed by vehicles along 210 km of this road during 4 years of monitoring (Fischer et al, 2018a). These studies are examples of the needed information to support mitigation strategies in the existing and on the planned transportation infrastructure in the region.…”

“…Road kills are an additional consequence of an increased transportation infrastructure. The main paved road inside the wetland is the BR-262, from which nearly 200 km cross the southern Pantanal, where accidents involving wildlife is a daily issue (Ascensão, Desbiez, Medici, & Bager, 2017;Catella, Tomas, & Mourão, 2010;Fischer, Godoi, & Paranhos Filho, 2018a). The Instituto de Conservac¸ão de Animais Silvestres has found more than 500 medium to large mammals belonging to 18 species, including vulnerable ones such as the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla, n ¼ 124), killed by vehicles along a stretch of 350 km BR-262 between 2013 and 2014 (Ascensão et al, 2017).…”

Diagnóstico do atropelamento de mamíferos silvestres em estradas na bacia do alto Paraguai

“…O atropelamento de animais em rodovias nesta região é frequente (Omena Junior et al, 2012;J. Sousa et al, 2015;Fischer et al, 2018), especialmente em decorrência do alto tráfego de veículos em estradas que cortam áreas de altas diversidade e abundância de espécies (EMBRAPA, 2010;Ascensão et al, 2017).…”