Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania
The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on human and vehicular mobility on the number of roadkills of wild mammals, and roe deer in particular, was assessed in Lithuania. We statistically analyzed the distribution of all mammals and roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) as the most abundant...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/18/2918 |
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| author | Linas Balčiauskas Jos Stratford Andrius Kučas Laima Balčiauskienė |
| author_facet | Linas Balčiauskas Jos Stratford Andrius Kučas Laima Balčiauskienė |
| author_sort | Linas Balčiauskas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on human and vehicular mobility on the number of roadkills of wild mammals, and roe deer in particular, was assessed in Lithuania. We statistically analyzed the distribution of all mammals and roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) as the most abundant species annually from 2002 to 2022 and monthly from 2020 to 2021, including during the two restriction periods. Notably, there was a marked decrease in roadkill incidents on main, national and regional roads, particularly in April–May 2020 (the beginning of lockdown period I) and November–December 2020 (the beginning of lockdown period II), 5.1–20.8% and 33.6–54.4%, respectively. During these months, collisions with mammals on the A14 main road were reduced by 75–90%. However, there was a significant increase in the number of roadkills in urban areas, resulting in the total number of mammal–vehicle and roe deer–vehicle collisions in 2020 and 2021 being higher than expected based on long-term trends. However, after restrictions were eased, collision numbers with wildlife on the main, national and regional roads increased again and became higher than expected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:07:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd7d6f5cbaf445edb61d4c78918e76be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:07:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd7d6f5cbaf445edb61d4c78918e76be2023-11-19T09:15:26ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-09-011318291810.3390/ani13182918Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in LithuaniaLinas Balčiauskas0Jos Stratford1Andrius Kučas2Laima Balčiauskienė3Nature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, 08412 Vilnius, LithuaniaNature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, 08412 Vilnius, LithuaniaEuropean Commission, Joint Research Centre, Via Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, ItalyNature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, 08412 Vilnius, LithuaniaThe impact of COVID-19 restrictions on human and vehicular mobility on the number of roadkills of wild mammals, and roe deer in particular, was assessed in Lithuania. We statistically analyzed the distribution of all mammals and roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>) as the most abundant species annually from 2002 to 2022 and monthly from 2020 to 2021, including during the two restriction periods. Notably, there was a marked decrease in roadkill incidents on main, national and regional roads, particularly in April–May 2020 (the beginning of lockdown period I) and November–December 2020 (the beginning of lockdown period II), 5.1–20.8% and 33.6–54.4%, respectively. During these months, collisions with mammals on the A14 main road were reduced by 75–90%. However, there was a significant increase in the number of roadkills in urban areas, resulting in the total number of mammal–vehicle and roe deer–vehicle collisions in 2020 and 2021 being higher than expected based on long-term trends. However, after restrictions were eased, collision numbers with wildlife on the main, national and regional roads increased again and became higher than expected.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/18/2918COVID-19 lockdownroadkilldomestic animalswildlife<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>Lithuania |
| spellingShingle | Linas Balčiauskas Jos Stratford Andrius Kučas Laima Balčiauskienė Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania Animals COVID-19 lockdown roadkill domestic animals wildlife <i>Capreolus capreolus</i> Lithuania |
| title | Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania |
| title_full | Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania |
| title_fullStr | Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania |
| title_short | Lockdown’s Silver Lining? Different Levels of Roadkill during the COVID-19 Times in Lithuania |
| title_sort | lockdown s silver lining different levels of roadkill during the covid 19 times in lithuania |
| topic | COVID-19 lockdown roadkill domestic animals wildlife <i>Capreolus capreolus</i> Lithuania |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/18/2918 |
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