News release

From: The Royal Society

Roadkill reimagined: a review of innovative scientific use and value of animals killed by vehicular traffic

Each year, millions of animals are killed on roads, impacting wildlife populations. However, such deaths may may have one ‘upside’ in that the carcasses provide an under-appreciated and ethical opportunity to learn more about these species and the environment in general. For the first time, we review the literature for potential uses of road-killed wildlife and find that roadkill has successfully been used to understand wildlife distribution, diet, reproductive patterns, and to monitor diseases, pathogens and environmental contaminants. Our results highlight the significant and unrealised value of these carcasses for science and education.