#23 Wildlife Crossings

Wildlife crossings, also known as fauna crossings, are important for both road safety and environmental management. University of Queensland research found that more than half of wild koala deaths are road deaths, reporting 1431 koala deaths attributable to car strikes in 5 years (2009-2014) in Southeast Queensland alone. Also at risk nationally are many other native Australian species killed on roads, including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, possums, gliders, birds (including emus, cassowary), as well as reptiles and amphibians. Most of these animals have an urban presence in Australian cities and towns as well as rural areas, and many are threatened by development-related habitat loss.

Insurance data gives some insight into the impact of animal strikes on road users, with AAMI reporting that over 40% of drivers in Australia don’t pay attention to wildlife warning signs. Animal collisions accounted for up to 30% of 2023 collision claims in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, with kangaroos the most commonly hit animal and weekends the most common period for incidents.

Treatments

Some species are more easily protected than others, and the Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6B outlines common treatments under Fauna Management. In some cases, existing infrastructure such as bridges, drains and tunnels can offer fauna protection and may be retrofitted with additional structure/materials.

• Underpass below road bridge

• Land bridge surfaced with soil and flora

• Rope ladder (flat or cylindrical/enclosed)

• Log bridge

• Log culvert/tunnel crossing (using elevated internal log bridge)

• Perimeter and exclusion fencing (including one-way access)

Considerations

There are many considerations which require site-specific expert assessment, but several key points can be noted. Treatment selection should reflect the types of fauna at risk in the location, and the ways the animals move. Ideally, continuous habitat linkage should be provided across the roadway. With the exclusion of fencing/barriers, the more natural a treatment appears, the more likely it will be used by the target species.