We saw a hawk that had been hit by a car on a two-lane suburban road. A possum was also dead in the road. Perhaps the bird held onto the mammal and then was too heavy / slow to avoid the car? The bird had been removed from the road a day later, the possum was still there.
So sad! The smaller animals killed by road traffic are rarely even noticed by drivers but no less remarkable. I'm glad you moved these creatures off the road. A sign of respect, yes, but also safer for those who will eat them. The lizard tail is puzzling: I agree with your expert that it became separated due to trauma, either by a vehicle or maybe a predator chased off by same, then twitched out of harm's way. Exactly opposite it's purpose!
I will have to ask my Urologist if Urticate is a word he uses with patients. I wonder if it’s a medical term. if so, ouch.
continuing on the theme of medical terms inspired by urticate,
My oncologist (long ago when i had been labled such) told me that “survivor” is not a medical term, then pointed out that we all ‘survived’ childbirth. hmmm, maybe i’ll change my pronoun to survivor. m’lord hasn’t taken hold.
On a family road trip between Washington and Colorado 30+ years ago, I started counting roadkill. I think got to 80 before losing interest. Those were only the animals big enough to see. (Insect splattered grills ahow the carnage is much worse.) The day-in/day-out slaughter occurred to me and left me feeling sick.
A few years later, I was delighted to hear about the Yukon to Yellowstone (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative to restore wildlife corridors between these wildness areas.
What a beautifully ambitious idea! Not just for keeping cars and animals from colliding, but also because inbreeding is a serious threat to isolated populations.
The road kill you saw is a great example of why the same idea should be implemented on a small scale. More under and over passes!!
Our zoning laws are really bad at taking wildlife corridors into account, even when they at least try to preserve trees and green space, they still tend to make isolated pockets.
We saw a hawk that had been hit by a car on a two-lane suburban road. A possum was also dead in the road. Perhaps the bird held onto the mammal and then was too heavy / slow to avoid the car? The bird had been removed from the road a day later, the possum was still there.
522397
Re: roadkills read Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben Goldfarb
Wow, 4 years of newsletters? Time sure goes by quickly...!
Yeah, pretty astounding to me, too.
Your column is calming (even when talking about death, like today's); it's like a rescue boat in a sea gale. Thanks for your column.
So sad! The smaller animals killed by road traffic are rarely even noticed by drivers but no less remarkable. I'm glad you moved these creatures off the road. A sign of respect, yes, but also safer for those who will eat them. The lizard tail is puzzling: I agree with your expert that it became separated due to trauma, either by a vehicle or maybe a predator chased off by same, then twitched out of harm's way. Exactly opposite it's purpose!
Yeah, I was hoping/figuring that someone would want these tasty treats, and it would be better for them to consume their meal off road.
words, words, words. hmmm…
I will have to ask my Urologist if Urticate is a word he uses with patients. I wonder if it’s a medical term. if so, ouch.
continuing on the theme of medical terms inspired by urticate,
My oncologist (long ago when i had been labled such) told me that “survivor” is not a medical term, then pointed out that we all ‘survived’ childbirth. hmmm, maybe i’ll change my pronoun to survivor. m’lord hasn’t taken hold.
On a family road trip between Washington and Colorado 30+ years ago, I started counting roadkill. I think got to 80 before losing interest. Those were only the animals big enough to see. (Insect splattered grills ahow the carnage is much worse.) The day-in/day-out slaughter occurred to me and left me feeling sick.
A few years later, I was delighted to hear about the Yukon to Yellowstone (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative to restore wildlife corridors between these wildness areas.
What a beautifully ambitious idea! Not just for keeping cars and animals from colliding, but also because inbreeding is a serious threat to isolated populations.
The road kill you saw is a great example of why the same idea should be implemented on a small scale. More under and over passes!!
Our zoning laws are really bad at taking wildlife corridors into account, even when they at least try to preserve trees and green space, they still tend to make isolated pockets.
EDIT
This should have been build decades ago.
https://www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/yellowstone-tourism-roadkill-mess-20253139.php