14th November 2009

On my travels back and forth to British Columbia for my doctor's appointments, I saw this is very much true. Please slow down (there are some INSANE chance taking drivers and am surprised there are not more human deaths on the highways than there is) and save wildlife and yourself. I have seen fawns, in my own ditches a mamma moose and her calf hit at the same time, bears, bighorn sheep and other wildlife in my travels. Take care during high traffic times for animals, which tend to be dawn and dusk. Also watch for open range areas as once me and a friend almost hit a dark coloured horse on a dark night.

More than 5,500 wild animals killed by drivers on B.C. highways last year

By Larry Pynn, VANCOUVER SUN - November 8, 2009 10:10 PM

The body of a black-tailed deer killed by traffic lies on the side of the Sea to Sky Highway . Lack of wildlife overpasses on upgraded highway raises concerns about roadkill of large mammals and safety to public.  Motorists killed more than 5,500 wild animals on provincial highways last year, the B.C. transportation ministry reports.

Highways maintenance contractors across the province had the thankless job of removing 5,663 carcasses, including 4,454 deer — almost 80 per cent of the total — 350 moose, 223 elk, 157 bears, 126 coyotes, and a variety of smaller animals.  The annual roadkill deer carnage compares with about 30,000 deer legally hunted in B.C.

Angela Buckingham, chief environmental officer for the transportation ministry, said in an interview from Victoria that dawn and dusk are risky times for collisions due to increased movements of animals.  Spring and fall are also peak periods due to wildlife migrations. Young animals are present in spring, too, and can be especially vulnerable. In winter, animals are attracted to salted roads.

The ministry puts up wildlife signs to warn motorists along key stretches of highway, cuts back vegetation to improve visibility, and sometimes installs wildlife fencing and culverts.  Buckingham said it is also important for motorists to exercise greater caution. “The key thing is not to speed,” she said. “And be aware. Watch both sides of the road when travelling, not just the paved surface, but be aware of what’s going on adjacent to the paved surface.”

Buckingham said her office has tested various commercial whistle-like devices that attach to motor vehicles to scare deer off, but has found them to be ineffective.  ICBC reports an annual average of 9,800 collisions between motor vehicles and animals (wild and domestic) over the past five years, resulting in 400 human injuries and five deaths. ICBC pays out about $31 million annually for repairs and injury claims related to collisions with animals.

The ministry’s preliminary roadkill figures, compiled at The Vancouver Sun’s request, are low estimates and do not include wildlife that died beyond the highway right-of-way, wildlife unlawfully taken home by motorists, and animals killed on municipal and federal roads, including the Alaska Highway and in national par ks .

Heading last year’s top-10 list of sites most prone to vehicle-wildlife collisions is Highway 3, about 23 km west of Creston, where 18 animals died — 12 deer, four elk, one bear and one coyote — along just one kilometre of highway.

Highway 97 in the Okanagan and Interior, Highway 3 in southern B.C., and Highway 95 in the East Kootenay were the deadliest. Two of the top 10 stretches were in the Williams Lake area.  Brian Carruthers, Williams Lake’s chief administrative officer, said the two areas are located in prime deer wintering ranges and in areas where curving highways reduce visibility.  He has never hit a deer, but knows plenty who have. “Lots of people. It’s such a common occurrence. When I drive to Prince George I’m acutely aware and take great caution.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to slowing down.”

Nine of the deadliest one-km stretches of B.C. are:

2. Highway 16, five km west of Vanderhoof; 14 deer.
3. Highway 97, 60 km north of Quesnel; 12 deer.
4. Highway 97, 42 km north of Osoyoos; 11 deer.
5. Highway 93/95, nine km north of Canal Flats; nine deer and one elk.
6. Highway 95, eight km north of Radium; 10 deer.
7. Highway 97, 51 km north of Williams Lake ; 10 deer.
8. Highway 3/95, seven km west of Cranbrook ; 8 deer and one elk.
9. Highway 2, nine km east of Dawson Creek ; nine deer.
10. Highway 20, 14 km west of Williams Lake ; eight deer.
 

 British Columbia and Canada are not the only places you need to be aware of wildlife in the roadways. You need to be careful anytime you are on the road behind a wheel.