Action on black spots on the road would make the conservation of biodiversity compatible with economic growth.
The Avian Conservation & Ecology journal has published an article entitled “Roadkill of birds in Galapagos Islands: a growing need for solutions” where researchers from the University of Malaga (Department of Animal Biology) in collaboration with the local entities Galapagos Conservancy and the Charles Darwin Foundation, have analyzed the road run-over mortality rate of endemic birds in the archipelago.
The improvement of the roads, a consequence of the economic development in the Galapagos Islands, entails a greater volume of road traffic which affects the island wildlife. Ecological barriers are created, habitat is fragmented, the spread of exotic species is favored, and road-kill appears as a new cause of mortality. Knowing in detail the circumstances in which accidents occur could lead to solutions to the problem.
After the routine sampling of road-killed birds on two types of roads, a higher mortality rate was detected on the road that had better conditions and state of conservation. Likewise, this type of road had black spots in which the high speed of the vehicles could be the cause. This study will contribute to the development of traffic management measures, especially aimed at reducing the speed of vehicles in specific sections, which would make the development of the island compatible with the maintenance of biodiversity in this iconic place.
Link to this news in the UMA website: https://www.uma.es/sala-de-prensa/noticias/investigadores-analizan-la-tasa-de-mortalidad-de-las-aves-en-las-islas-galapagos/
Link to the whole article in Avian Conservation & Ecology: https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-01596-150119
Repercusion in the press: Revista Quercus
