Wildlife‐vehicle collisions in Moroccan Atlantic Sahara: Impact on resident species and Afro‐Palearctic birds for conservation purposes

Abstract

In this study, we described the temporal and spatial patterns of wildlife‐vehicle collisions in Dakhla‐Laayoune regions, using counts from cars for two years (2018–2021). A total of 462 roadkills were documented (monthly average of 0.075 roadkills/km), comprising 16 species, including mammals (residents), reptiles (residents), and birds (residents and migrants). Seasonal abundance and diversity of roadkills revealed a high peak during breeding and migration periods for all species. The generalised linear mixed models indicated that wildlife‐vehicle accidents have a higher probability of occurrence close to breeding and feeding sites and road sections with increased vegetation cover. Similarly, road collisions were higher close to migration routes and during breeding periods. Our study provides the first and only detailed results on wildlife road collisions in Morocco. Data gathered from this study provide valuable information for conservation measures of the most affected Moroccan species and Palearctic migrant birds which are crossing between Europe and Africa. Moreover, our data provide a new window of large‐scale comparative studies addressing the impacts of the infrastructures on biodiversity in the entire Atlantic coasts of Northwest Africa. Detailed studies on the local population dynamics of highly affected species are urgently needed to conclude whether these levels of road mortality are supportable.

More than mortality: Consequences of human activity on migrating birds extend beyond direct mortality

“…Human-made elements in the airspace have become an increasingly common barrier to migratory movements, and birds collide with anthropogenic structures throughout the world's migration systems (Marques et al 2014, Santiago-Alarcon and Delgado-V 2017 Hager et al 2017, Bernardino et al 2018, Pinto et al 2020, Uddin et al 2021, Mansouri et al 2022). Not all collisions result in observed mortality: only a small percentage (approximately 6–7%) of collisions at residential buildings are estimated to be immediately fatal (Kummer and Bayne 2015, Samuels et al 2022), but the long-term survival probability remains largely unknown (Klem 1990).…”

Loss of Biodiversity Due to Road Accident in District Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan

“…In recent years human developmental and encroachments activities are risk for wildlife habitat because these activities fragmenting their habitat and isolating local animals beyond the loss of animals on road vehicles are also damaging plants by polluting them [7]. The major groups of animals killed by vehicles are reptiles, amphibians, mammals and small animals including birds [8], Collision of animals with trains are also common [9].Roads affect the population of wild animals and are source of barrier between animal's leads to reduction of biodiversity results in population isolation [10]. To save wild life it is necessary to made bridges at regular distance for animal's crossings.…”

Road mortality in the blue‐black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) is seasonally driven and sex‐biased

“…Therefore, the risk of animal‐vehicle collisions may vary considerably along the year and depends on whether the species has resident populations (Kantola et al, 2019). Nevertheless, different studies have demonstrated that migratory birds are highly killed on roads (Lala et al, 2021; Mansouri et al, 2022).…”