Someone cares

[Scotts1au]

Yesterday found 4 dead male blueys on the road in Bendigo and 2 dead shinglebacks, with only minor driving around. Saw another shingle on the road this morning but couldn't stop cos I had another car behind me on the highway.

I would hazard a guess that probably 100 a day are killed on the roads around Bendigo on any given day at this time of year, bit sad.

[Fatal_S]

Very sad. Could you see if there's a reptile society around who might sponsor putting up "Brake for Blueys" signs, or snake-fencing along the roads or something? We have to do this near the narcisse snake dens, because in spring (and somewhat in fall) the roads can just be covered in snakes trying to warm up. Some places have the fences along the road that herd the animals into under-road tunnels, so the animals can still cross the road without the risk of getting hit. But just the signs help, if people know to be watching most will.

[AnnaMonroe]

Omg that's so sad :[ why would people do such things !
If I saw an animal on the road I wouldn't care how many people are behind me I would stop!!
This upsets me.. Ever since I got Spyro I can't even think about something bad happening to a bluey, they are just so precious and beautiful ! I agree, there needs to be some kind of sign or something that lets drivers know that blueys are out and about!

[Rani-May]

So sad I want brake for bluey signs around here! Though our roads are safe enough to almost always stop, get out, even run onto the road to move them... well, might not be the brightest of ideas, but thats what ive done in the past when ive seen a bluey on the road. Also with an echidna... but theres no way i was touching that thing, just walked next to it til it moved far enough from the road XD

[Richard.C]

Not everyones nutty enough to investigate every dark line on the rd whilst driving,unfortunatly they often just run out in front of you,ive accidently skittled a couple and i usually look out for them,even driving slower

Some are purposely run over,alot would be accidental,pretty rare drive if u dont see some form of roadkill on the road,even in suburbia

Scary to imagine how many are killed on the roads year round


Sometimes they are hard to see,plus theres so many patched potholes,sticks and other things that look like a bluey as your driving along,most of the signs warn of kangaroos koalas ect plus have injured wildlife ones with a number to ring if injured animals are found,some areas warn of turtles ect to,to cover alot of different animals the sides of the road would be like 6 foot high barriers warning of everything

Most know of wildlife risks when driving,even with signage there would be high counts

[Fatal_S]

Signs and fences are only really useful in high-animal-traffic areas. We have the Narcisse Snake Dens, which host thousands of garters each year. So in spring the roads are covered in snakes, and the fences/signs make sense. Signs just remind people to be on the lookout. I've hit snakes here too Sometimes you just don't see them in time. Mom hit a deer recently - wrote the car off. Can't prevent all the hits, and some jack-wads hit things on purpose, but lots of us do care enough to try avoiding those hits

[Rani-May]

I cant stand people that would ever do it on purpose. I personally watched the person that killed my cat, purposely swerve to hit him. Andi know it was on purpose because it was on a round-a-bout.. who swerves ONTO a round-a-bout.
I havent hit anything yet *touchwood* and id be a mess if i did. I starting crying just when my sister came home one day and said she accidentally hit something

[tylociraptor]

I'm not sure I'd be able to drive for weeks if I ever hit an animal... That's just terrible. As usual as it may be, it doesn't change the fact that because of us- humans- with our roads and our cars, these animals are dying... it saddens me every time I see roadkill.

In fact, walking back to work from Tim Horton's last spring, I came across a group of seagulls fighting over a Mc Donald's bag in the street... I was going to go pick the bag up and move it out of the street so they wouldn't get hurt, or be a nuisance... as someone accellerates, speeds right into them... on purpose. I saw an animal go under a tire, and 3 or 4 of them killed, blood pooling around them. I must have looked foolish standing there with tears in my eyes, but well... There's no excuse to kill any animal, for human "needs" in my eyes. I don't mind that rats and mice are humanely killed, or inverts fed live to my pets, because that is the only way those pets can live. But otherwise, it will never NOT bother me to see an animal harmed.

[El Lobo]

Scary to imagine how many are killed on the roads year round

WIRES estimated back in 2003 that 3,400 native animals were killed per day on Australian roads.

Another estimate from the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

"Other estimates of roadkill suggest that up to 5.5 million frogs and reptiles are killed on sealed Australian roads each year (Mackey et al. 1998)."

I saw my first Blotchy victim of this season last week.

[Rani-May]

This is a sad post *dislike*

[Spindown]

I hate that some go out of their way to run down animals.

ETA: my grammar is seriously sucking today, edited

[Toxique]

Its incredibly unfortunate to hear about this happening. I myself have ran into a White-tail deer going 65 mph down a highway, and let me tell you, that's so bloody terrifying it renders you speechless and leaves at least 500 in damage on the car (IF you're lucky! Most are /way/ more expensive than that.)

But living in the middle of the north woods boonies, I often hear about people swerving with the intent to hit animals, up here I've found that your average person (unlike people like us who have a passion, or respect for animals) will often do that to something they don't like...Doesn't matter if it's a cat, dog, deer, snake or turtle. If they don't like it, most will swerve to hit it. Many slam on their breaks to skid over the poor things to make it gruesome! Its just...ugh.

Very little faith in humanity.

[Spindown]

My bf was joking about hitting a squirrel on the road, and then as he was screwing with me, he actually hit it by accident! I cried, and he has never joked like that again. That was 7 years ago. He goes out of his way NOT to hit things.