roadkilltas.com
What you can do to make your next roadtrip wildlife friendly

Maps of Roadkill Hotspots

Look at these map regions before your journey to identify high roadkill areas. [Click on links for printable maps]

Tasmania map

'Point of Interest' locations for car GPS

Free POI files can be downloaded to a vehicle GPS and will alert a driver when high roadkill areas are being approached. Reducing speed to less than 80km/h in these areas is advised.

High density Hotspots: An average of 1 roadkill every km

ROADKILL HOTSPOTS:
Download POI file

...or you can select a higher level of alerts. Frequent drivers may like to consider this option.

Medium density areas: An average of 1 roadkill every 2 km

MEDIUM ROADKILL SPOTS:
Download POI file

Note: The alert location on your GPS may not appear on the road exactly. Thus reducing speed at night for 1-2 kilometers after the alert is advised.

Roadkill Species by Region Maps

These are some of the most commonly encountered species on Tasmanian roads
Note: Northwest region - no data collected

Brushtailed possum

Bennett's wallaby

Tasmanian pademelon

Tasmanian devil

Tasmanian Roadkill Statistics

  • Estimated roadkill per year: 293,000
    • Brushtailed possum: 108,543
    • Pademelon: 28,854
    • Wallaby: 15,829
    • Tasmanian devil: 3,392
  • Averge roadkill density: 1 animal every 3 kms
  • Average roadkill per driver per year: 1
  • 32 animals killed every hour (average for the year)
  • 50% of roadkill observed where speed
    greater than 80 km/hr

An obvious sign of potential human impact on animal populations is roadkill.

In Tasmania, this impact is perceived as relatively greater than in other Australian states, and is often noted by visitors and locals. Information presented here is from a three-year study to assess the frequency and distribution of species killed on Tasmanian roads. Seasonal surveys were completed along five major routes, for a total of 154 trips. Over 15 000 km of road were surveyed and 5691 individuals in 54 taxa were recorded for an average roadkill density of 0.372 km-1. Over 50% of encountered roadkill could be identified to species, with common brushtail possums and Tasmanian pademelon the most common species identified, both in overall numbers and frequency of trips encountered. The 10 most common taxa accounted for 99% of the items observed.

How to use these data

Look at the maps provided at left to identify high roadkill regions before your journey. If you have a vehicle GPS you can download the Point of Interest files to your GPS - this will alert you to roadkill hotspots during your journey.

What you can do

Consider reducing your speed in regions where roadkill density is high. Roadkill are more common at particular times of year, on roads where high speeds are possible, and in "hotspots". Mitigation measures, such as reducing vehicle speed in specific areas may be effective in reducing the number of animals killed. We recommend a vehicle speed of less than 80 km/hr at night will reduce the chance of killing an animal that is encountered on the road.

Roadkill Research Paper

Wildlife Research JournalHobday, A. J. and M. L. Minstrell (2008). Distribution and abundance of roadkill in Tasmania: changing human behavior. Wildlife Research 35.
Wildlife Research: Management and Conservation Journal

Resources for Road Managers

 

devil
roadkilltas.com

Articles

Ecos coverTech insight to Tasmania's roadkill hotspots
Download Article (253 KB)

Download Video (25 MB) A short documentary about Tasmanian roadkill. Imaginocean Productions

 
ArticleHobday, A. J. and M. L. Minstrell (2006). Speed kills: mitigating roadkill in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Conservationist. 304, February
[Download PDF 280KB]

If you find an injured animal

This advice is from the Parks and Wildlife Sevice:

If you are unfortunate enough to hit an animal, please stop if it is safe to do so. The casualty may be able to be treated. Female marsupials very often have pouch young which can be saved. Injured and orphaned animals require special treatment. Keep the animal in a warm, dark place when transporting it and contact the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (phone 03 6233 6556) or contact the nearest Parks and Wildlife Service office as soon as possible. They will advise you how to care for the animal or find foster parents for it.

For after-hours advice on injured or orphaned wildlife you can call Bonorong Wildlife Centre on
03 6268 1184
.

About these data

Roadkill data were collected by Alistair Hobday and Melinda Minstrell between 2001 and 2004, and analysis recently completed (see published paper for description of methods).

Contact

Alistair Hobday
Email: Alistair.Hobday@csiro.au

Related sites

The following organisations kindly support efforts to reduce roadkill in Tasmania

parks & wildlife Bonorong Wildlife Tasmania RentForLess RACT - Help when you need it most

Created November 2008 | Website Design by Diana Reale