After two years and more than 5,600 photos, Oregonians are helping wildlife biologists see something they couldn’t before: which animals are being killed by vehicles across the state, and where it’s happening.

The Roadkills of Oregon project, a collaboration between the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Zoo, launched in 2024 to make roads safer for people and wildlife by mobilizing volunteers to document roadkill they encounter.

More than 890 people from across Oregon have contributed observations, documenting hundreds of species killed in vehicle collisions, ranging from butterflies to badgers. The information is helping ODFW biologists identify roadkill hotspots and prioritize places where wildlife crossings — underpasses, overpasses and culverts built to help animals safely cross roadways — and other measures could make the greatest difference.

Oregon has the highest rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions on the West Coast, and an estimated 14.5 million animals die on the state’s roads each year. Historically, transportation and wildlife agencies have been more aware of collisions involving large animals such as deer and elk than those involving smaller animals like frogs and rabbits.

“Thanks to these volunteers, we’re now seeing many of the other species that are being killed, and, importantly, where those deaths are occurring,” said Dr. Rachel Wheat, a wildlife connectivity biologist with ODFW. “Before this project, we had a very incomplete picture of what was happening on Oregon’s roads.”

Porcupines, rough-skinned newts and five types of snakes are among the project’s most-documented species. Users also recorded 36 species identified by the state as declining or of conservation concern, including marten, fisher, golden eagles and northwestern pond turtles.

“Most drivers are used to seeing larger animals like deer, skunks and raccoons, but don’t realize the tremendous impact of roadways on almost all of our wildlife species,” Wheat said. “Road mortality impacts hundreds of diverse species, of all sizes, across all roadways.”

For some wildlife populations, these impacts are especially significant. In the Portland area, red-legged frogs must cross two roads and a set of railroad tracks to reach their breeding ponds — a big challenge for one of the last remaining populations of this amphibian in the city.

In 2024, the Palensky Wildlife Underpass on U.S. Highway 30 became Oregon’s first amphibian underpass, giving frogs and other wildlife a safer way to cross the roadway. Camera-trap monitoring during its first two years documented more than 33 species using the underpass, including hundreds of red-legged frogs.

“Crossing structures can save lives for wildlife and for people, but they only work if we put them in the right places,” Wheat said. “Some solutions are large and expensive, while others can be as simple as strategically placed plantings. The Roadkills of Oregon data can help us identify where action may have the greatest benefit.”

The results are already providing preliminary insights into areas where crossings could benefit wildlife. As more observations are collected, ODFW and the zoo hope to build an increasingly detailed picture of wildlife-vehicle collisions across the state.

“Every animal on the shoulder of the road is a data point we’ve been driving past for decades,” said Shervin Hess, Oregon Zoo conservation manager. “It’s been amazing to see Oregonians from every corner of the state pull over and pay attention. Every photo fills in the map, and every observation points us toward a solution for protecting wildlife.”

The zoo and ODFW encourage Oregonians to continue documenting roadkill they encounter. The free iNaturalist app makes it possible to contribute observations from anywhere in the state. To download the app and find instructions for submitting reports, visit myodfw.com/articles/roadkills-oregon.

Source: Oregon Zoo

Portland Local News