Effects of public roads on wildlife-vehicle collisions in two protected areas, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Public roads within and around protected areas significantly threaten wildlife through wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs), with mortality rates reaching up to 13 carcasses per kilometer. A study conducted in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) and iSimangaliso Wetland Park (ISWP) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, found that small-bodied vertebrates (<5 kg), particularly amphibians, were the most affected, accounting for 1066 mortalities out of 1606 recorded. High mortality levels were linked to unsloped road surfaces and increased vehicle traffic within HiP, while habitat surrounding ISWP had a larger influence on WVCs. The research, conducted monthly from 2022 to 2023, used species composition data and heat maps of mortalities combined with ecological factors to identify drivers of these collisions. Mitigation measures are urgently needed, particularly during the wet season, to reduce wildlife mortalities along high-risk road sections in both protected areas.

Cormac, C. T., Price, C., Collinson, W., Druce, D. J., Streicher, J. P., & Downs, C. T. (2025). Effects of public roads on wildlife-vehicle collisions in two protected areas, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Global Ecology and Conservation, 57, e03368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03368