Roadkill mortality decreases after road inauguration

Abstract The main factors affecting specific road casualty rates are related to life-history traits, features, and landscape variables. After inauguration, roadkill rate spatial temporal patterns can change substantially due changes in traffic intensity, avoidance behaviour or local population decline. Despite the Canary Islands constituting a biodiversity hotspot, Canarian ecosystems highly threatened because of high human density, studies on anthropogenic sources mortality wildlife scarce. Here, we counted roadkills during two annual cycles after inauguration an 8.8-km-road section Tenerife, largest most densely populated island Canaries. We 694 belonging minimum 19 species birds six introduced mammals. Seasonal variation was apparent both cycles, particularly for birds, being majority victims concentrated May June. Although intensity increased since number decreased significantly second cycle. reduction cycle could be some non-mutually exclusive such as decline, avoidance, weather conditions. As networks still increasing, further quantifying impacts urgently needed guarantee management conservation its fragile wildlife.