High roadkill rates in the Dong Phayayen‐Khao Yai World Heritage Site: conservation implications of a rising threat to wildlife

A study conducted between 2015 and 2017 in the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Thailand, revealed alarmingly high roadkill rates among vertebrates. Researchers estimated an annual average of 9688 mortalities per year from 124 species on a 47.8-km highway transect, which is currently being expanded as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. The study identified spatial and temporal patterns, with mortality peaking during the dry season due to high bird and bat casualties. Spatial analyses highlighted hotspots and landscape factors contributing to these mortalities, suggesting that protected areas near forests showed lower mortality rates and species diversity, possibly indicating fewer crossing events or an already depleted environment. This research provides a critical baseline for understanding the direct impacts of road expansion on tropical biodiversity, emphasizing the need for further studies to mitigate threats to threatened species in Southeast Asia.

Silva, I., Crane, M., & Savini, T. (2020). High roadkill rates in the Dong Phayayen‐Khao Yai World Heritage Site: conservation implications of a rising threat to wildlife. Animal Conservation, 23(4), 466–478. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12560