Wildlife collisions on Ontario roads appear to be on the rise, at least according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). In mid-October, the OPP released a report revealing that there had been 6,066 wildlife-related collisions in Ontario over the past three years, with numbers jumping each year.
According to the report, there were 1,820 wildlife collisions in 2021, 2,053 in 2022, and 2,193 in 2023. The OPP said that 85 per cent of these collisions involved deer and occurred between October and December, during deer’s mating season when they’re on the hunt for food.
Teagan Netten, the conservation science coordinator for Ontario Nature, says it’s difficult to pinpoint why these numbers might be increasing or if they even are increasing. “It could be just that more people are reporting wildlife collisions, or it could be a true increase in wildlife crossing the roads and being hit by vehicles. It’s really hard to say,” she says.
Netten adds that the true number of wildlife collisions is likely much higher as drivers tend to only report collisions with large animals, such as deer, moose, or bears. The kind of animals that will leave a dent in your vehicle. Whereas collisions with small mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles tend to go underreported or unnoticed.
Between 2009 and 2019, Netten says that Ontario Nature observed 30,000 dead amphibians and reptiles on Ontario roads. “There are a huge number of wildlife collisions, and mostly those are caused by people not paying attention or driving too quickly,” she says.
Colliding with an animal can happen at any time of the year. Different species are active at different times, Netten says. Deer, as mentioned, tend to cross roads in the fall when they’re mating and looking for food. Turtles are most likely to be hit in spring when they nest at the side of roads. And moose are most likely to be hit in the summer months.
Dusk and dawn are the most dangerous times for wildlife collisions as animals are more active during these times, and the poor lighting makes them difficult to spot.
To avoid collisions, Netten suggests keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife crossing signs. They’re the yellow signs with black silhouettes of the animals. These indicate important habitats for the species. “It’s important to really slow down and pay more attention when you see signs for wildlife,” she says. “And if it’s dark, put on your high beams to help you see.”
Driving slower gives you more time to react to animals on the road. If you do see an animal, break firmly rather than trying to swerve around it. Swerving could still cause you to hit the animal while endangering oncoming traffic.
If you notice a turtle crossing the road, Netten recommends giving it a hand. “It makes them much less likely to be hit by cars because they’re very slow-moving, but they are intentional in where they’re going. So, it’s a great idea to help a turtle cross the road in the same direction it was already going,” she says.
Municipalities and the provincial government can also take steps to reduce the number of wildlife collisions. Netten points to the Highway 69 overpass north of Sudbury, Ont., a stone bridge constructed in 2012 by the Ministry of Transportation to provide a corridor for animals. According to an eight-year study, moose, deer, and lynx have all successfully used the overpass. And the OPP reported a 74 per cent reduction in wildlife collisions in the area.
Netten’s final safety tip: “Always stay sober, alert, and undistracted while driving. If you have a passenger in the car with you, you can always ask them to help look out for wildlife on the road.”
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