S3E11 – Road Ecology w/ Ben Goldfarb

Description:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶a?

Ben Goldfarb found that roads are “the leading direct human cause of vertebrate mortality on land.” More than hunting, wildfires, dams, and urban habitat loss combined.

The costs are enormous. According to the @Insurance Australia Group Limited (IAG) animal-vehicle collisions cost Australia $7 billion every year through:

• Vehicle damage

• Towing and insurance costs

• Human hospital bills

• Almost 150 human pedestrian deaths each year

• Road repairs

 

But the real damage to animals and the environment is invisible.

• Lost access to breeding grounds

• Lost access to food sources

• Impeded migration

• Biodiversity loss as seeds fail to cross roads

• Reductions in fertile females

• Starvation

• Functional extinction

• Species extinction

 

There is good news. Australia is increasingly leading the world in wildlife crossings, building:

• Arboreal bridges

• The Crab Bridges of Christmas Island

• Koala log bridges through underpasses

• Flying squirrel poles.

Road ecologists continue to find ways to reduce the impact of roads on our environment. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.