08-05-2025
Roadkill crisis: South Africa's wildlife faces rising threats from fragmented habitats and climate change
South Africa's vast road network — more than 750,000km — is essential for transporting people and goods. But for wildlife, it's becoming a deadly barrier. As roadkill incidents rise, researchers warn that the true cost of our transport systems to biodiversity is still underestimated and under-researched in South Africa.
We may wince as we speed past the carcass of a serval cat, porcupine or owl on the highway, but few of us pause to consider why roadkill is such a growing problem — or realise just how much it's on the rise across South Africa.
It's not only about reckless driving. As Thabo Hlatshwayo, an ecological researcher and senior field officer for the Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) Wildlife and Transport Project explains, the issue is rooted in roads cutting through once-connected wild spaces, shrinking habitats, and a changing climate — all of which force animals to move more often, putting them in harm's way.
The EWT has been monitoring some of South Africa's roads since 2011, and has found that since 2012, more than 8,500 wildlife roadkill incidents have been recorded along just three major toll routes — the Bakwena N1/N4, TRAC N4 and the N3. And in 2024 alone, there was an increase, with 1,500 more incidents reported than in 2023.
These roads run through some of South Africa's most ecologically sensitive regions, slicing across habitats and cutting off animals from the resources they need to survive.
'There's this poor ecological connectivity because the landscape has now been fragmented,' says Hlatshwayo.
A neglected field
While road ecology is well established in Europe and the US, South Africa lags behind.
'There's not so much work that is done on it in South Africa — or should I say in Africa — so we're still looking behind in terms of research,' says Hlatshwayo, who recently submitted his PhD at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His study focused on the N4 toll road and how road infrastructure affects animal movement across fragmented habitats.
As part of the EWT's work, Hlatshwayo trains road patrol staff employed by toll concessionaires — companies like N3TC, TRAC and Bakwena contracted by Sanral (SA National Roads Agency) — to scientifically record roadkill incidents.
'They are always on the road during the day and at night; they know what's happening,' he says.
That data is invaluable in identifying hotspots where animals frequently cross — but these are just three roads out of the country's 750,000km network.
What's driving wildlife roadkill?
One part of the problem lies in how roads are designed.
'We focus on connecting people to economic zones, which is good,' says Hlatshwayo. 'But in that aspect of ecology, that is lacking. There's a lack of consideration for what wildlife needs.'
Roads cut through habitats, leaving animals with few safe options to move between areas — especially when they need to escape threats like fire or to find food during seasonal changes.
Driver behaviour is another factor.
'There is quite a lack of awareness,' he said. 'We just drive recklessly, we don't observe. At night there's poor visibility — you can easily hit an animal.' Most roadkill involves small to medium-sized vertebrates.
Climate change driving increased movement
The challenge of wildlife-vehicle collisions in South Africa extends beyond reckless driving. Climate change, combined with habitat loss and shrinking biodiversity, is forcing many animal species to travel more frequently and over greater distances. This increased movement often brings them into conflict with vehicles, especially since many of the country's major highways intersect critical biodiversity corridors, creating dangerous crossing points for wildlife.
'The climate is changing, and so are the ecological resources animals depend on,' said Hlatshwayo. Changes in rainfall patterns mean that grasses no longer grow as abundantly or consistently as before, pushing animals to seek out greener pastures and reliable water sources farther afield. 'Animals have to travel longer distances to find palatable grasses closer to wet areas,' he said.
As streams dry up and food becomes scarcer, animals are compelled to move more frequently, increasing their exposure to roads.
'The more the environment changes, the more animals stretch their range to find suitable resources,' Hlatshwayo noted. This extended movement heightened the risk of fatal encounters with vehicles.
Scientific studies showed that climate change altered habitat quality and resource availability, forcing many mammals to move more frequently and over longer distances.
'So the more this environment keeps on changing, the more animals stretch longer to find the suitable resources that they need,' said Hlatshwayo.
Who suffers most?
Small to medium-sized mammals such as serval cats, Cape clawless otters, honey badgers, African wild dogs, and various antelope species are among the most frequently killed. Reptiles like pythons, puff adders, and tortoises also suffer high mortality rates. Even birds of prey, including several owl species, are affected because they hunt near roads.
Some of these species are already under threat. Servals are being reassessed for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List, while African wild dogs are critically endangered.
'Their population is quite narrow, it's limited. But increasing threats are also affecting them,' Hlatshwayo said.
And the impact wasn't limited to animals. Roadkill could have serious consequences for people, too.
'I remember one which occurred on the R71, where two parties collided with an elephant — quite a number of people were hospitalised,' he said. Other incidents involving hippos and buffalo have caused major vehicle damage and injuries.
What can be done?
One of the more surprising findings from Hlatshwayo's PhD was that while national transport strategies like the Green Transport Strategy and the White Paper on National Transport Policy focus on climate change, they pay little attention to biodiversity.
'There's quite a lot of attention given towards climate change, with less attention given to biodiversity, which is surprising,' he said.
Most roads were still built without considering how animals moved through the landscape. But simple design changes, like larger culverts or canopy bridges, could offer safe passage across roads.
'If you could have roads with enough connectivity structures that allow animals passage while also having vehicles on top, it would make it better.'
Solutions in the works
The Endangered Wildlife T is working with toll companies to trial a range of interventions:
Wildlife underpasses and fencing: Temporary mesh fencing guides animals toward safer crossings like culverts and underpasses. Camera traps have captured servals, reedbuck, otters, honey badgers and warthogs using them.
Raptor perches: Perch poles placed 100 metres from roads give owls and other birds of prey safer places to hunt — keeping them off road signs and out of danger.
RoadWatch app: Developed by the Endangered Wildlife Trust and launched in 2013, the RoadWatch app allows members of the public to log wildlife roadkill sightings across South Africa. With nearly 30,000 records submitted to date, the data helps identify roadkill hotspots, inform conservation efforts, and guide road safety improvements.
The RoadWatch app is available as a free download on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Training patrol teams: Road staff are trained to document roadkill scientifically, helping build one of the country's most detailed roadkill datasets.
Policy advocacy: EWT has supported research to develop a DPSIR framework (Drivers — Pressure — State — Impact — Response) that could guide greener infrastructure planning.
And in all of this, there are sad scenarios that turn into something good.
'Although we are dealing with dead animals, sometimes we get emotional because you're passionate about nature. But sometimes we have some sad stories that turn out to be good,' said Hlatshway.
He recalls patrol staff calling him about injured animals on the road — owls, antelope — and connecting them with rescue centres like the SPCA and Owl Rescue.
'After three weeks, you get feedback: 'We were able to save that owl.' I mean, it's so amazing.'
What's more, he says the patrol staff are growing into wildlife advocates.
'You get somebody telling you, 'When I joined here, I did not know anything about animals.' But now the way they see them has changed. They weren't contracted to do this — but they're excited to help. It's something amazing.' DM
