Data collected through the Virginia Roadkill Observation Monitoring Project will be used to document wildlife-vehicle conflict (WVC) along these predetermined driving routes. Currently, WVC data are limited to carcass data collected by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and police report data primarily focused ondeer and bear-vehicle collisions.

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 In addition to being limited in the diversity of species reported, this dataset does not include all deer and bears hit by vehicles, as not all collisions result in death of the animal or are documented in a police report. This project seeks, through volunteer data collection, to fill much-needed knowledge gaps on all observable species alongroadways, resulting in a more comprehensive view of WVC in defined areas of Vir ginia. Not only will this initiative provide DWR with greater detail on deer and bear collisions, but it will also evaluate road impacts to smaller species that have traditionally gone unreported.

 

Further, it will contribute to the development of more precise predictive risk models to support the identification of roadway hotspots where WVCs are most frequent. While data collected may not translate directly into immediate mitigation efforts, the identification of hotspots will inform decision-makers on the need and priority of measures such as wildlife fence installation, signage, or speed management.