Context: A recent multi-institutional study published in the Journal of Wildlife Science has revealed that 6,507 animals belonging to 239 species were killed in road collisions across the Western Ghats between 1997 and 2023.
About Road Accidents and Wildlife:
What it is?
- Road accidents involving wildlife, commonly referred to as roadkill, denote the mortality of wild animals caused by collisions with moving vehicles on highways, state roads, and rural transport corridors.
Key Data / Stats
- Scale of Mortality: A total of 6,507 animals across 239 species were recorded as roadkill in the Western Ghats during 1997–2023, highlighting the ecological impact of road expansion.
- Taxonomic Spread: Of the total deaths, 4,960 were vertebrates and 1,547 were invertebrates, showing broad biodiversity loss.
- Ecological Concern: About 51% of affected vertebrates are endemic, while 18 species are IUCN threatened and 103 are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Most Vulnerable Groups: Amphibians (52%) and reptiles (30%) formed the highest share of vertebrate deaths along the 26,482 km road network.
Implications:
- Biodiversity loss: Threatens endemic and endangered species of the Western Ghats.
- Habitat fragmentation: Roads divide ecosystems and disrupt animal movement
- Genetic isolation: Reduced mobility can affect breeding and gene flow.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus
- GS Paper 3 – Environment & Ecology
- This issue is directly relevant to themes of biodiversity conservation, habitat fragmentation, and the environmental impact of infrastructure development, especially in ecologically sensitive regions like the Western Ghats. It also fits under sustainable development and wildlife protection.
- GS Paper 2 – Governance & Policy
- It is relevant to environmental governance, policy implementation, and coordination between infrastructure planning and conservation laws, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and environmental clearances for road projects.
