Hey there! I’m David from MinuteEarth. Imagine designing the ultimate predator: it would be huge, super strong, really fast, and able to sneak up on its prey. Surprisingly, we’ve created something similar: the car. While cars aren’t out to eat animals, they accidentally cause the deaths of millions of them every day, not counting insects.
Although this sounds sad, there’s a silver lining: scientists can learn a lot from roadkill. It’s not about being creepy; it’s about being smart. For example, if you wanted to study hedgehogs, you’d usually have to wander through thick bushes at night, maybe even using expensive gear to find them. But with roadkill, you can find them on roads, note where they are, collect samples, and study them in detail.
Roadkill has helped us understand many ecological changes. In Southern Europe, scientists noticed more roadkill snakes appearing earlier in the spring. This suggests that warmer temperatures from climate change are causing snakes to come out of their burrows sooner. In the Everglades, a sudden drop in roadkill raccoons, opossums, and rabbits hinted at a problem: invasive pythons were eating local wildlife before they could reach the road. By studying the diets of birds of prey, researchers found that many of them eat rats with pesticides, which is dangerous for the birds.
Not all animals react the same way to cars. Owls often don’t notice cars, so they get hit more often. Pronghorns, on the other hand, speed up when crossing roads, which helps them avoid accidents. Bats are great at sensing and dodging traffic. Armadillos, however, tend to freeze when they see cars, making them more likely to get hit. Scavengers like crows, which eat roadkill, can also become victims. By understanding these differences, scientists can still gather useful information from roadkill data.
While roadkill might seem like a grim topic, roadkill ecologists are part of a long tradition of creative researchers. Marine biologists check fishing nets for new deep-sea creatures, engineers study storm-damaged buildings to improve materials, archaeologists dig up mass graves to solve historical puzzles, and astronomers examine star explosions to learn about the universe. All these scientists find knowledge in unexpected places.
At MinuteEarth, we’ve been able to do more thanks to your support. Many of you have become patrons at Patreon.com/MinuteEarth, helping us overcome budget challenges and start new projects. To thank you, we’re giving away our new merchandise and have started a behind-the-scenes talk show to share how we create MinuteEarth content. You can watch the first episode at Patreon.com/MinuteEarth, and if you can, consider becoming a patron. Your support means a lot to us!
Take a walk in your neighborhood or a nearby park and observe any roadkill you might find. Note the type of animal, location, and any other observations in a journal. Reflect on what this might indicate about local wildlife and human impact on the environment.
Research how climate change affects animal behavior and migration patterns. Create a presentation or poster to share your findings with the class, focusing on how these changes might increase the likelihood of roadkill.
In groups, choose different animals mentioned in the article and role-play how they react to cars. Discuss why some animals are more prone to roadkill than others and what adaptations might help them avoid it.
Using materials like cardboard, paper, and markers, design a model of a wildlife crossing that could help reduce roadkill. Present your design to the class, explaining how it would work and which animals it would benefit most.
Write a short story from the perspective of a roadkill ecologist. Describe a day in their life, the challenges they face, and the importance of their work in understanding and protecting wildlife.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, this is David from MinuteEarth. If you wanted to design the perfect predator, you’d make it huge, incredibly strong, very fast, and capable of freezing its prey as it approached. Interestingly, we’ve built something quite similar: a car. While cars aren’t carnivorous, they unintentionally cause the deaths of millions of animals every day, not including insects.
This unfortunate reality has an unexpected benefit: the remains of these animals provide valuable data for scientists. This isn’t due to any morbid curiosity, but rather resourcefulness. For instance, if you wanted to survey hedgehogs, you would typically have to navigate through dense hedges night after night, possibly using expensive equipment to locate these elusive creatures. Alternatively, you could find them on the road, document their locations, collect specimens, and study them extensively.
In fact, roadkill has contributed to our understanding of various ecological phenomena. Scientists in Southern Europe have observed an increase in roadkill snakes appearing earlier in the spring, indicating that rising temperatures from climate change are causing them to emerge from their burrows sooner. In the Everglades, a sudden decrease in roadkill raccoons, opossums, and rabbits signaled an issue—specifically, the presence of invasive pythons preying on local wildlife before they could reach the road. Additionally, by examining the diets of certain birds of prey, researchers found that pesticide-laden rats constitute a significant portion of their food, putting these birds at risk.
However, not all animals are equally affected by vehicles. For example, owls often don’t notice cars, making them frequent victims, while pronghorns tend to speed up when crossing roads, reducing their chances of being hit. Bats are adept at detecting and avoiding traffic altogether. Conversely, armadillos tend to freeze in the presence of cars, making them more susceptible to accidents. Scavengers like crows, which feed on roadkill, can also become victims themselves. As long as scientists account for these variations, they can still draw meaningful conclusions from roadkill data.
While this topic may seem grim, roadkill ecologists are part of a long tradition of opportunistic researchers. Marine biologists examine fishing nets for new deep-sea species, engineers study storm-damaged structures for better materials, archaeologists excavate mass graves to uncover historical mysteries, and astronomers analyze remnants of star explosions to understand universal laws. They all contribute to the pursuit of knowledge through unconventional means.
At MinuteEarth, we’ve been able to expand our efforts thanks to your support. Many of you have recently become patrons at Patreon.com/MinuteEarth, allowing us to navigate budget constraints and initiate new projects. To show our appreciation, we’re hosting regular giveaways of our new merchandise and have launched a behind-the-scenes talk show to share how we create MinuteEarth content. We invite you to watch the first episode at Patreon.com/MinuteEarth, and if you’re able, consider becoming a patron. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Roadkill – Animals that are killed by vehicles on roads. – The increase in roadkill has raised concerns about the safety of local wildlife.
Science – The study of the natural world through observation and experiments. – In science class, we learned about the different ecosystems and how they function.
Ecology – The branch of biology that deals with the relationships between living organisms and their environment. – Our ecology project involved studying the interactions between plants and insects in the garden.
Climate – The typical weather conditions in a particular area over a long period. – Scientists are studying how climate change affects polar bear habitats.
Wildlife – Animals and plants that live and grow in natural conditions. – The national park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including deer and eagles.
Predators – Animals that hunt and eat other animals for food. – Wolves are important predators that help maintain the balance in their ecosystem.
Temperatures – The degree of heat present in the environment or a substance. – Rising temperatures due to global warming are affecting coral reefs worldwide.
Animals – Living organisms that feed on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous systems. – Many animals, such as elephants and lions, are found in the African savanna.
Researchers – People who study a subject in detail to discover new information. – Researchers are investigating the impact of pollution on marine life.
Habitats – The natural environments where plants and animals live. – Protecting habitats is crucial for the survival of endangered species.
