Wildlife charity urges children to play spot the roadkill travel game

Blackleaf

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Oct 9, 2004
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Britain's roads are amongst the safest in the world - the sixth safest in fact.

Only Malta, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway have safer roads than Britain (it's interesting to note that in both Malta and Britain drivers drive on the left, and driving on the left is reputedly safer than driving on the right).

Last year, just 2,538 people were killed on Britain's roads (an 18% drop from 2007), the lowest number of fatalities ever.

In Canada, there were over 2,600 deaths on the roads - but it's population is half that of Britain's.

But what about the number of animals killed on the road?

The number of hedgehogs killed on roads has fallen by 7.5 per cent a year on average since 2001.

You may that's a good thing - but the fact that the numbers of hedgehogs killed on the roads has declined must mean that the hedgehog population has fallen.

Now a wildlife charity has come up with a game similar to i Spy for kids to play in the car.

All they have to do is count the number of roadkill during a journey.


The results of 'Roadkill I-Spy' will be used to put together a survey of the UK's mammal population.

The Mammals on Road census is the brainchild of the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

I spy with my little eye... a dead badger! Wildlife charity urges children to play spot the roadkill travel game

By David Derbyshire
26th June 2009
Daily Mail


Roadkill I-Spy: The People's Trust for Endangered Species is asking people to record roadkill, such as this badger, as part of a travel game


For generations, parents have relied on the innocent pleasure of I-Spy, the Alphabet Game or 20 Questions to keep children amused on long, boring car journeys.

Now a wildlife charity has devised a travel game for the summer holidays which is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

It is asking families to count the number of dead badgers, squashed hedgehogs and flattened rabbits as they drive through the British countryside.

The results of 'Roadkill I-Spy' will be used to put together a survey of the UK's mammal population.

The Mammals on Road census is the brainchild of the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

The charity admits the game is 'rather unusual' but says 'with more of us planning to holiday in the UK this year, what better way to occupy the kids on long car journeys than to take part in this important project?'

PTES has been keeping tabs on roadkill since it launched the Mammals on Roads survey in 2001.

By comparing the number of rabbits, deer and foxes spotted by motorists and their passengers, it says it can spot changes in wild mammal populations.

This summer it wants families and groups of people travelling together on journeys of 20 miles or more to record any dead mammals on the roads.

'Around one million mammals are killed on UK roads each year, so it is a sad fact that many of the mammals recorded will fall into this category,' said Jill Nelson of the PTES.

'However, the extent of roadkill spotted for each mammal is related to the number of those mammals in the wild, so it is important that we monitor these trends in order to provide an indication of how our wildlife populations are faring.'



Amusement: Families and friends travelling together on journeys of 20 miles or more have been asked to record any dead mammals on the roads

The survey began eight years ago with the National Hedgehog Survey. It has since been widened to include all native UK mammals.

Last year, the most common mammal spotted on roads was the rabbit, followed by the hedgehog and badger.

The small 'mustelids' - the family including stoats, weasels, polecats and otters - came fourth.

The number of hedgehogs killed on roads has fallen by 7.5 per cent a year on average since 2001. That's the equivalent in a decline in numbers of 50 per cent over 25 years.

David Wembridge, the charity's survey officer, said: 'Hedgehog numbers have shown steep declines in recent years and we are funding vital research into the reasons why so it is essential that we continue to monitor them.'

A roadkill survey pack is available through the website surveys and projects | people's trust for endangered species | mammals trust uk | mtuk & ptes.

dailymail.co.uk
 
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Nuggler

kind and gentle
Feb 27, 2006
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Backwater, Ontario.
In Canada, there were over 2,600 deaths on the roads - but it's population is half that of Britain's.'''

Yes, you are rather jammed in there, old sport. Frightfully fewer autos I would think, as well........

But, you do have your lorries, and trollies, and double-deckers, eh wot. Would imagine one of those smuck up, one is tallying up rather more than a single car accident. Bodies hither, thither, and yon. Bloody all over, old thing.

Say nothing of the underground. The railway, not the economy.

2600 in Canada. You are speaking of animals, no??:lol: Hell, we lose 2500 PEOPLE a month.

Don't even mention the US of A................yeeeeeegh:-(

We drive slower than you lot. Potholes, you see. No money for repair over here; whereas there, Queenie kicks in to help out of course??:queen:

Gawd save her royal bum.