Roadkill is a wild animal that has been killed by collision with motor vehicles. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how they can be mitigated.
80-467: Conepatus Mephitis Spilogale † Brachyprotoma Mydaus † Palaeomephitis † Promephitis Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae . They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands . Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginger colored, but all have warning coloration . While related to polecats and other members of
160-605: A cheap, simple way to reduce the chance of wildlife-vehicle collisions. In one study, the sound pressure level of the whistle was 3 dB above the sound pressure level of the test vehicle, but caused no observable difference in behavior of animals when the whistles were activated and not activated, casting doubt on their effectiveness. In Australia, kangaroos are the most common species hit and killed by vehicles, causing significant damage and even fatalities. Another large species hit and killed by vehicles are wombats. Sightings of wombat roadkill can be logged at WomSAT to help support
240-447: A collision cannot be avoided, it is best to swerve towards the rear end of the animal, as it is more likely to run forward. Drivers who see a deer near or in the roadway should be aware that it is very likely that other members of a herd are nearby. Acoustic warning deer horns can be mounted on vehicles to warn deer of approaching automobiles, though their effectiveness is disputed. Ultrasonic wind-driven whistles are often promoted as
320-515: A collision. However, when headlights approach a nocturnal animal, it is hard for the creature to see the approaching car (nocturnal animals see better in low than in bright light). Furthermore, the glare of oncoming vehicle headlights can dazzle some species, such as rabbits; they will freeze in the road rather than flee. It may be better to flash the headlights on and off, rather than leaving them on continuously while approaching an animal. The simple tactics of reducing speed and scanning both sides of
400-488: A couple of Zorrillos , or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance, the Zorrillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sickness and running at
480-404: A ditch or where waterways might be polluted. Covering the carcass with wood chips can aid in decomposition while minimizing odor. Local governments and other levels of government have services that pick up dead animals from roadways, who will respond when advised about a dead animal. New York City has an online request form which may be completed by residents of the city. New York State has
560-726: A dormant stage. Over winter, multiple females (as many as 12) huddle together; males often den alone. Often, the same winter den is repeatedly used. Although they have excellent senses of smell and hearing, they have poor vision, being unable to see objects more than about 3 m (10 ft) away, making them vulnerable to death by road traffic . They are short-lived; their lifespan in the wild can reach seven years, with an average of six years. In captivity, they may live for up to 10 years. Skunks mate in early spring and are polygynous (that is, successful males are uninhibited from mating with additional females). Before giving birth (usually in May),
640-465: A process to report dead wildlife to the Department of Environmental Conservation; they are especially interested in marked/tagged wildlife and endangered or threatened species. In Toronto , Canada, the city accepts requests to remove a dead animal by telephone. If an animal is found along a major highway, depending on who has jurisdiction for maintaining the highway, the request may be directed to
720-831: A roadkill study involving 1,923 animal deaths. By category, the fatalities were: 81% mammals, 15% bird, 3% reptiles and amphibians, 1% indiscernible. Extrapolating these data nationwide, Merritt Clifton (editor of Animal People Newspaper ) estimated that the following animals are being killed by motor vehicles in the United States annually: 41 million squirrels, 26 million cats, 22 million rats, 19 million Virginia opossums , 15 million raccoons , 6 million dogs, and 350,000 deer. This study may not have considered differences in observability between taxa (e.g. dead raccoons are easier to see than dead frogs), and has not been published in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Observability, amongst other factors, may be
800-428: A similar cabin incursion hazard. Injury to humans due to driver failure to maintain control of a vehicle either while avoiding, or during and immediately after an animal impact, is also common. Dusk and dawn are times of highest collision risk. The recommended reaction to a large animal (such as a moose) is to slow down in lane, if at all possible, and to avoid swerving suddenly, which could cause loss of control. If
880-515: A similar study of insect deaths on car license plates. He found two insects killed on the license-plate area for every 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) driven. This implies about 1.6 trillion insect deaths by cars per year in the Netherlands, and about 32.5 trillion deaths in the United States if the figures are extrapolated there. The number grows to 228 trillion per year if extended globally. One rarely considered positive aspect of roadkill
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#1732790481097960-426: A skunk finding its way into a garage or basement where pet food is kept. Skunks commonly dig holes in lawns in search of grubs and worms. Skunks use their long claws to break apart rotting logs to find insects that live within them. They also use those claws to help dig for insects, which leaves behind pits, which are easy signs of foraging. The claws also help with pinning down live and active prey. Skunks are one of
1040-502: A skunk was described in The Jesuit Relations : The other is a low animal, about the size of a little dog or cat. I mention it here, not on account of its excellence, but to make of it a symbol of sin. I have seen three or four of them. It has black fur, quite beautiful and shining; and has upon its back two perfectly white stripes, which join near the neck and tail, making an oval that adds greatly to their grace. The tail
1120-821: A state agency in North America was published by the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation (BCMoT) in Canada in 2008. BCMoT's "Wildlife Roadkill Identification Guide" focused on the most common large carnivores and ungulates found in British Columbia. The guide was developed to assist BCMoT's maintenance contractors in identifying wildlife carcasses found on provincial highways as part of their responsibilities for BCMoT's Wildlife Accident Reporting System (WARS). Collisions with animals can have many negative consequences: Regardless of
1200-612: A verb, skunk is used to describe the act of overwhelmingly defeating an opponent in a game or competition. Skunk is also used to refer to certain strong-smelling strains of Cannabis whose smell has been compared to that of a skunk's spray. Skunk species vary in size from about 15.6 to 37 in (40 to 94 cm) long and in weight from about 1.1 lb (0.50 kg) (spotted skunks) to 18 lb (8.2 kg) ( hog-nosed skunks ). They have moderately elongated bodies with relatively short, well-muscled legs and long front claws for digging. They have five toes on each foot. Although
1280-498: Is bushy and well furnished with hair, like the tail of a Fox; it carries it curled back like that of a Squirrel. It is more white than black; and, at the first glance, you would say, especially when it walks, that it ought to be called Jupiter's little dog. But it is so stinking and casts so foul an odor, that it is unworthy of being called the dog of Pluto. No sewer ever smelled so bad. I would not have believed it if I had not smelled it myself. Your heart almost fails you when you approach
1360-452: Is considered to significantly contribute to the population decline of many threatened species, including wolf, koala and eastern quoll . In Tasmania, Australia the most common species affected by roadkill are brushtail possums and Tasmanian pademelons . In Bolivia there has been a report of an Andean cat, a critically endangered species, dead by a car collision. In 1993, 25 schools throughout New England , United States, participated in
1440-528: Is created if people learn to ignore lifeless bodies on roads. A study in Ontario , Canada in 1996 found many reptiles killed on portions of the road where vehicle tires do not usually pass over, which led to the inference that some drivers intentionally run over reptiles. To verify this hypothesis, research in 2007 found that 2.7% of drivers intentionally hit reptile decoys masquerading as snakes and turtles. Several drivers were seen to speed up when aiming for
1520-471: Is gathering both professional (Police, road maintenance) and volunteered data on roadkill and wildlife-vehicle crashes. The application allows users to input, edit and browse data. The data is visualized in the form of maps, graphs or tables and analyzed online (KDE+ hotspots identification, area statistics). In Australia, wombat roadkill data is collected by the citizen science project, WomSAT. The first wildlife roadkill identification guide produced by
1600-494: Is not uncommon amongst these platforms. In the United Kingdom, "The Road Lab" (formerly Project Splatter) was started by Cardiff University in 2012, with the aim of estimating the impact of roads and motoring on British wildlife. Since then it has gathered data on its website, and on several social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. In India, the project "Provide Animals Safe Transit on Highways" (PATH)
1680-663: Is protective of her kits, spraying at any sign of danger. The male plays no part in raising the young. Skunks are omnivorous , eating both plant and animal material and changing their diets as the seasons change. They eat insects, larvae , earthworms , grubs , rodents , lizards, salamanders , frogs, snakes, birds, moles , and eggs . They also commonly eat berries , roots , leaves , grasses, fungi and nuts . In settled areas, skunks also seek garbage left by humans. Less often, skunks may be found acting as scavengers , eating bird and rodent carcasses left by cats or other animals. Pet owners, particularly those of cats, may experience
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#17327904810971760-409: Is rare for a healthy skunk to bite a human, though a tame skunk whose scent glands have been removed (usually on behalf of those who will keep it as a pet) may defend itself by biting. There are, however, few recorded incidents of skunks biting humans. Skunk bites in humans can result in infection with the rabies virus. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recorded 1,494 cases of rabies in skunks in
1840-418: Is the correct name of the merged populations. The individual hog-nosed skunk species vary in size, but among them is included the largest of all skunks. All are characterized by comparatively short hair, especially on the tail, and this appendage lacks the plumelike appearance observed in other skunks. The nose is prolonged into a distinct "snout", naked on the top and sides and evidently used for rooting in
1920-557: Is the regular availability of carrion it provides for scavenger species such as vultures, crows, ravens, foxes, opossums and a wide variety of carnivorous insects. Areas with robust scavenger populations tend to see roadkilled animal corpses being quickly carried off, sometimes within minutes of being struck. This can skew data and cause a lower estimation of the number of roadkill animals per year. In particularly roadkill-prone areas, scavenging birds rely on roadkill for much of their daily nutritional requirements, and can even be seen observing
2000-471: Is to a skunk's advantage to warn possible predators off without expending scent: black and white aposematic warning coloration aside, threatened skunks will go through an elaborate routine of hisses, foot-stamping, and tail-high deimatic or threat postures before resorting to spraying. Skunks usually do not spray other skunks, except among males in the mating season. If they fight over den space in autumn, they do so with teeth and claws. Most predators of
2080-459: Is to make people aware of specific hazardous areas by use of signage, rumble strips or lighting. The third potential way is to slow traffic physically or psychologically, using chicanes or speed bumps. There are three categories of altering wildlife behavior. Primary methods discourage wildlife from loitering on roadsides by reducing food and water resources, or by making the road surfaces lighter in color which may make wildlife feel more exposed on
2160-481: Is very little a driver can do to avoid an unpredictably darting squirrel or rabbit, or even to intentionally hit one. The suggested course of action is to continue driving in a predictable, safe manner, and let the small animal decide on the spur of the moment which way to run or fly; the majority of vehicular encounters end with no harm to either party. Although strikes can happen at any time of day, deer tend to move at dusk and dawn, and are particularly active during
2240-518: The weasel family , skunks have as their closest relatives the Old World stink badgers . In alphabetical order, the living species of skunks are: The word skunk is dated from the 1630s, adapted from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Abenaki ) seganku , from Proto-Algonquian * šeka:kwa , from * šek- 'to urinate' + * -a:kw 'fox'. Skunk has historic use as an insult, attested from 1841. In 1634,
2320-486: The American hog-nosed skunk raise concerns over its conservation status. Although both the spotted skunks and common skunks live mainly on insects, the hog-nosed skunks are even more insectivorous in their feeding habits. The bare snout appears to be used constantly for the purpose of rooting out beetles , beetle larvae (or grubs), and larvae of various insects from the ground. This article incorporates text from
2400-548: The Americas, such as wolves , foxes , and badgers , seldom attack skunks, presumably out of fear of being sprayed. The exceptions are reckless predators whose attacks fail once they are sprayed, dogs, and the great horned owl , which is the skunk's only regular predator. In one case, the remains of 57 striped skunks were found in a single great horned owl nest. Skunks are common in suburban areas, and domestic dogs are often sprayed by skunks. There are many misconceptions about
2480-730: The October–December mating season as well as late March and early April in the Northern Hemisphere. Driving at night presents its own challenges: nocturnal species are active, and visibility, particularly side visibility, is reduced. Penguins, for example, are common roadkill traffic victims in Wellington, New Zealand due to their color and the fact that they come ashore at dusk and leave again around dawn. Night time drivers should reduce speed and use high beam headlights when possible to give themselves maximum time to avoid
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2560-466: The Tennessee legislature attempted to legalize the use of accidentally killed animals, they became the subject of stereotyping and derisive humor. Nevertheless, in some cultures there is tradition of using fresh roadkill as a nutritious and economical source of meat similar to that obtained by hunting. Songwriter and performer Loudon Wainwright III released his deadpan humorous song, " Dead Skunk (in
2640-475: The UK by asking drivers to affix a postcard-sized PVC rectangle, called a "splatometer", to the front of their cars. Almost 40,000 drivers took part, and the results found one squashed insect for every 5 miles (8.0 km) driven. This contrasts with 30 years ago when cars were covered more completely with insects, supporting the idea that insect numbers had waned. In 2011, Dutch biologist Arnold van Vliet coordinated
2720-491: The US states of California, Maine, and Idaho. In each case, index roads are used to help quantify total impact of vehicle collisions on specific vertebrate taxa. Researchers that use data from citizen science platforms may benefit from a large pool of data, specially for iconic, well known conspicuous species. Care must be taken when analyzing data for species that are not easy to identify, as studies have showed that misidentification
2800-465: The US, sections of road known to have heavy deer cross-traffic will usually have warning signs depicting a bounding deer; similar signs exist for moose, elk, and other species. In the American West, roads may pass through large areas designated as " open range ", meaning no fences separate drivers from large animals such as cattle or bison. A driver may round a bend to find a small herd standing in
2880-413: The United States for sprayed dogs. It involves hydrogen peroxide , baking soda , and liquid dish soap . Skunk spray is composed mainly of three low-molecular-weight thiol compounds, ( E )-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol, as well as acetate thioesters of these. These compounds are detectable by the human nose at concentrations of only 11.3 parts per billion. It
2960-597: The United States for the year 2006—about 21.5% of reported cases in all species. Skunks in fact are less prominent than raccoons as vectors of rabies. (However, this varies regionally in the United States, with raccoons dominating along the Atlantic coast and the eastern Gulf of Mexico , while skunks instead predominate throughout the Midwest , including the western Gulf, and in California.) Mephitis mephitis ,
3040-625: The Western Ghats of south India documenting a large number of species of insects, other arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals killed. Another study conducted on 420 km of roads located along cultivated fields in Punjab showed granivorous birds to be killed far more than their availability, likely attracted to spilled grain on the roads. In the Czech Republic, an online animal-vehicle crash reporting system Srazenazver.cz
3120-424: The animal; two have been killed in our court, and several days afterward there was such a dreadful odor throughout our house that we could not endure it. I believe the sin smelled by Saint Catherine de Sienne must have had the same vile odor. In Southern United States dialect, the term polecat is sometimes used as a colloquial nickname for a skunk, even though polecats are only distantly related to skunks. As
3200-608: The application of citizen science observation methods. Since 2009, statewide roadkill observation systems have been started in the US, enrolling hundreds of observers in reporting roadkill on a website. The observers, who are usually naturalists or professional scientists, provide identification, location, and other information about the observations. The data are then displayed on a website for easy visualization and made available for studies of proximate causes of roadkill, actual wildlife distributions, wildlife movement, and other studies. Roadkill observation system websites are available for
3280-538: The area. A 2007 study showed that insects, too, are prone to a very high risk of roadkill incidence. Research showed interesting patterns in insect roadkills in relation to the vehicle density. The decrease in insects being killed by cars is known as the " windshield phenomenon ". In 2003–2004, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds investigated anecdotal reports of declining insect populations in
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3360-459: The canopy crossings may be relatively quick and cheap. Banks, cuttings and fences that trap animals on the road are associated with roadkill. In order to increase the likelihood of escape from a main roadway, escape routes have been constructed on the access roads. Escape routes may be considered as one of the most useful measures, especially when new roads are being built or roads are being upgraded, widened or sealed. Research may be undertaken into
3440-536: The cause for mammal species to dominate roadkill reports, whereas bird and amphibian mortality are likely underestimated. A year-long study in northern India in an agricultural landscape covering only 20 km of road identified 133 road kills of 33 species comprising amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The study compared road-killed animals with all species seen along the road and estimated that traffic killed individuals of 30% of amphibian species, 25% of reptile species, 16% of birds, and 27% of mammals that were seen in
3520-458: The city, the provincial Ministry of Transportation , or a highway operations centre. In Ontario, citizens may keep possession of roadkill in many circumstances, but may have to register their find. If fresh enough, roadkill can be eaten, and there are several recipe books dedicated to roadkill. The practice of eating animals killed on the road is usually derided, and most people consider it not to be safe, sanitary, or wholesome. For example, when
3600-445: The day they shelter in burrows, which they can dig with their powerful front claws. For most of the year the normal home range for skunks is 0.5 to 2 miles (1 to 3 km) in diameter, with males expanding during breeding season to travel 4 to 5 miles (6 to 8 km) per night. Skunks are not true hibernators in the winter, but do den up for extended periods of time. However, they remain generally inactive and feed rarely, going through
3680-650: The decoys. Male drivers hit the reptile decoys more often than female drivers. However, 3.4% of male drivers and 3% of female drivers stopped to rescue the reptile decoys. On roadways where rumble strips are installed to provide a tactile vibration alerting drivers when drifting from their lane, the rumble strips may accumulate road salt in regions where it is used. The excess salt can accumulate and attract both small and large wildlife in search of salt licks ; these animals are at great risk of becoming roadkill or causing accidents. Very large numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are killed on
3760-433: The deserted burrows of other animals, or of natural cavities among the rocks. Owing to their strictly nocturnal habits, they are generally much less frequently seen than the common skunks, even in localities where they are numerous. Sightings are recorded from brush habitat and semi-open grasslands . Habitats may also include rocky terrain and stream beds in desert-scrub and mesquite grassland. Infrequent sightings of
3840-412: The earth after the manner of a pig as their name implies. In addition, the front feet are armed with long, heavy claws . The claws are well developed for digging up insect prey, and the front legs and shoulders are provided with a strong muscular development for digging, as in a badger . This likeness has led to the use in some places of the appropriate name "badger skunk" for these animals. The extent of
3920-501: The efficacy of escape routes by observation of animals’ response to vehicles in places with natural escape routes and barriers, rather than trialing purpose-built escape routes. In the New Forest , in southern England, there is a proposal to fence roads to protect the New Forest pony . However, this proposal is controversial. Removing animal carcasses from roadways is considered essential to public safety. The removal takes away
4000-410: The family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas . They have white backs and tails and black underparts. † Conepatus robustus † Conepatus sanmiguelensis † Conepatus suffocans Work in 2003 concluded that the western hog-nosed skunk or common hog-nosed skunk (formerly Conepatus mesoleucus ) is the same species as the American hog-nosed skunk, and that Conepatus leuconotus
4080-443: The female excavates a den to house her litter of four to seven kits. Skunks are placental , with a gestation period of about 66 days. When born, skunk kits are blind and deaf, but already covered by a soft layer of fur. About three weeks after birth, they first open their eyes; the kits are weaned about two months after birth. They generally stay with their mother until they are ready to mate, roughly at one year of age. The mother
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#17327904810974160-445: The glands found in species of the family Mustelidae . Skunks have two glands, one on each side of the anus. These glands produce the skunk's spray, which is a mixture of sulfur -containing chemicals such as thiols (traditionally called mercaptans), which have an offensive odor. The thiols also make their spray highly flammable. A skunk's spray is powerful enough to ward off bears and other potential attackers. Muscles located next to
4240-404: The hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus , had two major volatile components, ( E )-2-butene-1-thiol and ( E )- S -2-butenyl thioacetate. Minor volatile components identified from this secretion were phenylmethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol,and bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide. 3-Methyl-l-butanethiol, a major component in the defensive spray of the striped skunk, hooded skunk and
4320-407: The implementation of mitigation strategies to reduce wombat deaths. Squirrels, rabbits, birds, or other small animals are often crushed by vehicles. Serious accidents may result from motorists swerving or stopping for squirrels in the road. Such evasive maneuvers are often unproductive, since small rodents and birds are much more agile and quicker to react than motorists in heavy vehicles. There
4400-404: The local distribution of the two is practically the same. They live along the bottom-lands of watercourses, where vegetation is abundant and the supply of food most plentiful, or in canyons and on rocky mountain slopes. For their protection hog-nosed skunks create their own burrows , generally within a bank, or beneath a rock , or the roots of a tree, but do not hesitate to take possession of
4480-732: The merge of the American hog-nosed skunks, the eastern hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus leuconotus is typically larger than the western hog-nosed skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus . Female eastern hog-nosed skunks range from 58 to 74 cm in length and 19–34 cm in height. They weigh between 2.0 and 4.0 kg. Male hog-nosed skunks range from 56 to 92 cm in length and 22–41 cm in height. They weigh on average between 3.0 and 4.5 kg. The western hog-nosed skunk ranged from 40 to 84 cm in length, 13–35 cm in height, and 1.1–2.7 kg. Males are larger than females and can occasionally reach 4.5 kg. The teeth are smaller in C. mesoleucus than in C. leuconotus . The anal sac secretion of
4560-477: The most common fur color is black and white, some skunks are brown or grey and a few are cream-colored. All skunks are striped, even from birth. They may have a single thick stripe across the back and tail, two thinner stripes, or a series of white spots and broken stripes (in the case of the spotted skunk). Skunks are crepuscular and solitary animals when not breeding, though in the colder parts of their range , they may gather in communal dens for warmth. During
4640-435: The movement of wildlife, and resulting in extensive wildlife mortality. One writer states that "our insulated industrialized culture keeps us disconnected from life beyond our windshields." Driving "mindlessly" without paying attention to the movements of others in the vehicle's path, driving at speeds that do not allow stopping, and distractions contribute to the death toll. Moreover, a culture of indifference and hopelessness
4720-610: The nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is forever useless. Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distance; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being offshore, we have perceived the odour onboard the Beagle . Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorrillo . Skunks carry just enough for five or six successive sprays – about 15 cm – and require up to ten days to produce another supply. Their bold black and white coloration makes their appearance memorable. It
4800-515: The open grassy areas in the Patagonian regions of Chile and Argentina The western hog-nosed skunk ( C. mesoleucus ) is found in, Texas , Arizona , New Mexico , Sierra Guadalupe, Coahuila, Colima , Honduras, Sonora , and Nicaragua. The striped hog-nosed skunk, C. semistriatus , is found in Veracruz , Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Where their range coincides with that of the common skunks,
4880-447: The person that is helping them and/or an inattentive driver that collides into their stopped vehicle. In the US, an estimated 1.25 million insurance claims are filed annually due to collisions with deer, elk, or moose, amounting to 1 out of 169 collision damage claims. Collisions with large animals with antlers (such as deer) are particularly dangerous, but any large, long-legged animal (e.g. horses, larger cattle, camels) can pose
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#17327904810974960-413: The potential distraction and hazard of the carcass to other motorists. Quick removal can also prevent deaths of other animals that may wish to feed on the carcass, as well as animals that may go into the road to try to move the body of an animal in their social group. Sometimes rather than removal, the carcass is moved to a nearby public right-of-way where it can be consumed by scavengers, but not placed in
5040-413: The primary predators of the honeybee , relying on their thick fur to protect them from stings. The skunk scratches at the front of the beehive and eats the guard bees that come out to investigate. Mother skunks are known to teach this behavior to their young. Skunks are notorious for their anal scent glands, which they can use as a defensive weapon . They are similar to, though much more developed than,
5120-511: The publication Wild Animals of North America , copyright 1918 by the National Geographic Society . This book is in the public domain . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Roadkill Essentially non-existent before the advent of mechanized transport, roadkill is associated with increasing automobile speed in the early 20th century. In 1920, naturalist Joseph Grinnell wrote of his observations in
5200-469: The removal of skunk odor, including the pervasive idea that tomato juice will neutralize the odor. These household remedies are ineffective, and only appear to work due to olfactory fatigue . In 1993, The American chemist Paul Krebaum has developed a formula that chemically neutralizes skunk spray by changing the odor-causing thiols into odorless acids, which is endorsed by the Humane Society of
5280-553: The road for foraging deer can improve driver safety at night, and drivers may see the retro-reflection of an animal's eyes before seeing the animal itself. Wildlife crossings allow animals to travel over or underneath roads. They are most widely used in Europe, but have also been installed in a few US locations and in parts of Western Canada. As new highways cause habitats to become increasingly fragmented, these crossings can play an important role in protecting endangered species. In
5360-513: The road. Open range areas are generally marked with signage and protected by cattle grids . In an attempt to mitigate US$ 1.2 billion in animal-related vehicular damage, a few US states now have sophisticated systems to protect motorists from large animals. One of these systems is called the Roadway Animal Detection System (RADS). A solar powered sensor can detect large animals such as deer, bear, elk, and moose near
5440-467: The roads in different European countries ranges from 350,000 to 27 million, depending on the factors such as the geography of the country and bird migration paths. Mortality resulting from roadkill can be very significant for species with small populations. Roadkill is estimated to be responsible for 50% of deaths of Florida panthers , and is the largest cause of badger deaths in England. Roadkill
5520-459: The roadway from telephone poles, overhead wires and trees, waiting for animals, usually squirrels, opossums and raccoons to be struck so they can swoop down and feed. However, such scavengers are at greater risk of becoming roadkill themselves, and are subject to evolutionary pressure to be alert to traffic hazards. In contrast, areas where scavengers have been driven out (such as many urban areas) often see roadkill rotting in place indefinitely on
5600-849: The roadway, and thereafter flash a light to alert oncoming drivers. The sensor's detection distance ranges from 650 feet (200 m) to unlimited, depending on the terrain. The removal of trees associated with road construction produces a gap in the forest canopy that forces arboreal (tree dwelling) species to come to the ground to travel across the gap. Canopy crossings have been constructed for red squirrels in Great Britain, colobus monkeys in Kenya, and ringtail possums in Far North Queensland, Australia. The crossings have two purposes: to ensure that roads do not restrict movement of animals and also to reduce roadkill. Installation of
5680-450: The roadway. Second are methods of discouraging wildlife from crossing roads, at least when cars are present, using equipment such as ultrasonic whistles, reflectors, and fencing. Third are mechanisms to provide safe crossing like overpasses, underpasses and escape routes. Although it is not illegal to help wild animals that are in danger of becoming roadkill, stopping on the highway is potentially dangerous and may result in injury or death of
5760-423: The roadways and being further macerated by traffic. The remains must be manually removed by dedicated disposal personnel and disposed of via cremation; this greatly increases the public nuisance inherent to roadkill, unnecessarily complicates its disposal, and consumes additional public money, time and fuel that could be spent on other roadway maintenance projects. The study of roadkill has proven highly amenable to
5840-466: The scent glands allow them to spray with a high degree of accuracy, as far as 3 m (10 ft). The spray can also cause irritation and even temporary blindness, and is sufficiently powerful to be detected by a human nose up to 5.6 km (3.5 miles) downwind. Their chemical defense is effective, as illustrated by this extract from Charles Darwin 's 1839 book The Voyage of the Beagle : We saw also
5920-427: The spatial scale at which the mitigation measure is applied, there are two main types of roadkill mitigation measures: changing driver behavior, and changing wildlife behavior. There are three potential ways to change driver behavior. Primary methods focus on changing driver attitude by increasing public awareness and helping people understand that reducing roadkill will benefit their community. The second potential way
6000-643: The spotted skunk was absent from this secretion. The eastern hog-nosed skunk is found only in Southern Texas , Veracruz , Mexico, and Arizona The Molina hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Andean hog-nosed skunk ( C. chinga ), is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk, also known as the Patagonian hog-nosed skunk ( C. humboldtii ) finds its habitat in
6080-425: The state of California that "this is a relatively new source of fatality; and if one were to estimate the entire mileage of such roads in the state, the mortality must mount into the hundreds and perhaps thousands every 24 hours." In Europe and North America, deer are the animal most likely to cause vehicle damage. The development of roads affects wildlife by altering and isolating habitat and populations, deterring
6160-450: The stripe on the hind of the skunk, and the color of the tail underside suggests a distinction between eastern and western species. The eastern species is a narrow stripe, with black under the base of the tail. The western distinction is a wide stripe, with a predominantly white tail. The hair on these skunks is coarse and harsh, lacking the qualities which render the coats of their northern relatives so valuable. They are nocturnal . Before
6240-509: The striped skunk, is the most social skunk and the one most commonly kept as a pet. In the US, skunks can legally be kept as pets in 17 states. When a skunk is kept as a pet, its scent glands are often surgically removed. In the UK, skunks can be kept as pets, but the Animal Welfare Act 2006 made it illegal to remove their scent glands. Conepatus The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of
6320-543: The world's roads every day. A Humane Society volunteer survey conducted over three Memorial Day weekends in the 1960s estimated that one million vertebrate animals are killed by vehicular traffic daily in the United States. A 2008 Federal Highway Administration report estimates that 1 to 2 million accidents occur each year between large animals and vehicles. Extrapolating globally based on total length of roads, roughly 5.5 million vertebrates are killed per day, or over 2 billion annually. The estimated number of birds killed on
6400-592: Was initiated by the Environment Conservation Group in 2015, to study the impact of roads on Indian wildlife. A team of five wildlife conservationists led by R. Mohammed Saleem had undertaken a forty-four-day expedition, traveling more than 17,000 kilometers across 22 states to study and spread awareness on roadkill. It is also gathering data on its website, and social media platforms. More focused scientific studies on impacts of traffic on animals have been conducted across India especially in
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