Hidden toll on urban wildlife revealed

Citizen scientists

Since the launch of the China Roadkill Monitoring Network in 2023, it has received substantial support from citizen scientists who diligently record roadkill incidents, preserving the memory of each creature's existence and providing crucial data for the project.

The forum invited five outstanding citizen scientist representatives, presenting them with certificates to acknowledge and encourage their exceptional contributions.

One of the representatives, Gao Ziming, a graduate student from Huazhong Agricultural University's College of Fisheries in Wuhan, Hubei province, shared his experiences documenting roadkill.

Gao, an enthusiastic nature lover, has become one of top contributors to a roadkill survey mini-program by uploading 318 roadkill records this year. His dedication to documenting these incidents has provided him with unique opportunities to observe various species of wildlife. Gao said that this activity has allowed him to discover a few insect species that he found exclusively on the carcasses of certain animals.

Pang Hanrong, a science teacher at a primary school in Zixing county, Hunan province, spoke of how he conducted a roadkill survey around the Dongjiang Lake scenic area from April to November last year. During this period, Pang, sometimes accompanied by a few of his students, regularly visited the area in the early mornings and late afternoons to document roadkill incidents. Over the course of seven months, he recorded 400 roadkill incidents involving 35 different wildlife species.

"The initial curiosity my students had about wildlife quickly turned into heartbreak as they witnessed these roadkill incidents," Pang said."This experience motivated them to actively promote conservation efforts on campus. The survey transformed them into keen observers of nature and active practitioners of ecological conservation."

For professor Li, the students' growing awareness of roadkill signifies the positive impact of his project. "I hope that through our efforts, more people become conscious of roadkill and its negative impact on wildlife, and that more drivers will be willing to slow down for animals crossing the roads," he said. "Even a small shift in people's attitudes could lead to the survival of millions of animals."

chenliang@chinadaily.com.cn