The government of Entre Ríos, through the Directorate of Protected Natural Areas of the Secretariat of Environment, is working with the Argentine Network for Monitoring Roadkill Wildlife to strengthen the systematic survey of incidents involving wildlife on national and provincial roads.
The initiative aims to have precise and georeferenced information on critical points, generating key inputs to design conservation policies and mitigation measures.
The Argentine Monitoring Network
This interinstitutional, open, and participatory project brings together public agencies, academic institutions, organizations, and citizens through a free-access mobile application. The system allows for recording roadkills across the country and building an open database that facilitates understanding the impact of roads on biodiversity.
In Entre Ríos, monitoring focuses on strategic road corridors, aiming to identify priority sections for intervention and develop concrete environmental mitigation measures.
Issues and Associated Factors
“Wildlife roadkill is one of the main issues affecting biodiversity today,” explained Pablo Aceñolaza, director of Protected Natural Areas. Among the factors exacerbating the phenomenon are:
- Habitat fragmentation, which forces species to cross roads more frequently.
- High traffic speeds.
- Sustained increase in vehicular traffic.
Mitigation Measures
Mapping roadkills will allow for planning actions such as:
- Wildlife crossings and ecoducts for safe animal passage.
- Special fencing in critical areas.
- Speed reducers and radars.
- Preventive signage adapted to each section.
These interventions aim to reduce wildlife mortality and prevent serious road accidents.
Importance of Road Adaptation
Adapting infrastructure is crucial for:
- Protecting biodiversity: roads act as deadly barriers that fragment ecosystems.
- Ensuring road and human safety: respecting signage and speed limits protects both animals and drivers.
- Maintaining healthy ecosystems: wildlife plays essential ecological roles such as pollination and seed dispersal.
- Mitigating impacts: wildlife crossings and ecoducts allow the natural flow of species.
Responsible Driving
In addition to infrastructure, road safety education and driver responsibility are promoted:
- Reducing speed in protected areas (maximum of 60 km/h in many cases).
- Respecting wildlife crossing signs.
- Avoiding nighttime driving in natural areas, where most roadkills occur.
The initiative in Entre Ríos represents a strategic step towards harmonious coexistence between human development and nature. With monitoring, green infrastructure, and road safety education, the aim is to save animal lives, prevent accidents, and preserve biodiversity in a key territory for Argentine wildlife.
