Other ungulates are also killed frequently by trains. The elk (C. canadensis) and
the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) were the most frequent victims in Jasper
National Park, Canada, while deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was the most common
casualty in Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada (Huijser et al. 2012).
In Norway, although moose is the most reported victim of railway traffic, the roe
deer (Capreolus capreolus) is also a common one with 12.4% of all mammals
recorded from 1993 to 1996, while reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and muskox
(Ovibus moshatus) are killed more infrequently, with 2.8% and 0.17% respectively
(Gundersen et al. 1998). The roe deer was particularly affected in the Czech
Republic with 0.8 kills/km in 2009 (Kušta et al. 2014). In the Iberian Peninsula,
although some deer and roe deer are reported to be killed by trains, the wild boar
(Sus scrofa) is the most common ungulate victim (SCV 1996).
In addition, besides possible population decreases, railway kills may cause shifts
in the age structure of populations. Huggard (1993) showed that American elks in
Banff National Park, Canada, whose ranges overlap roads or railways are less likely
to reach old age than animals away from these infrastructures. Additionally,
Huggard (1993) also found differences in body condition of American elk predated
by wolves and animals killed on the road or railway: elks killed by wolves were in
significantly poorer condition than those killed on road or railways, suggesting a
non-natural selection by trains and cars (Huggard 1993).
Train Accidents with Bears
Bears are often the most frequently reported carnivore killed by trains in Central
Europe and North America. In Montana, USA, 29 grizzly bears were killed on
109 km section of a railway track between 1980 and 2002 (Waller and Servheen
2005), while nine brown bears were killed on the Ljubljana–Trieste railway,
Slovenia, between 1992 and 1999 (Kaczensky et al. 2003). Train accidents with
bears were also reported in the Abruzzo mountains, Italy (Boscagli 1987), and in
Croatia, where 70% of all traffic killed bears occurred along the Zagreb–Rijeka
railway (Huber et al. 1998). In Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada, the black
bear (U. americanus) was the carnivore with the highest mortality caused by trains,
with a higher number of collisions in railways than on the highways (Huijser et al.
2012). In British Columbia, Canada, 13 black bears were killed on a 15 km railway
section between 1994 and 1996 (Munro 1997; Wells et al. 1999).
Why are so many bears killed by trains? Historically, grizzly bears have been
attracted to railways by grain leaked from trains along the tracks or that accumulated at sites of repeated derailments. Such concentration of food led grizzly bears
being struck and killed by trains at these sites (Waller and Servheen 2005).
However, grain spills have been reduced through the years and recent research
suggests that most bears struck by trains are young individuals, which are unlikely
to have acquired the behaviour of feeding on spilled grains (Kaczensky et al. 2003;
Krofel et al. 2012). Some collisions happened because bears had used the railway as
14
S.M. Santos et al.
the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) were the most frequent victims in Jasper
National Park, Canada, while deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was the most common
casualty in Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada (Huijser et al. 2012).
In Norway, although moose is the most reported victim of railway traffic, the roe
deer (Capreolus capreolus) is also a common one with 12.4% of all mammals
recorded from 1993 to 1996, while reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and muskox
(Ovibus moshatus) are killed more infrequently, with 2.8% and 0.17% respectively
(Gundersen et al. 1998). The roe deer was particularly affected in the Czech
Republic with 0.8 kills/km in 2009 (Kušta et al. 2014). In the Iberian Peninsula,
although some deer and roe deer are reported to be killed by trains, the wild boar
(Sus scrofa) is the most common ungulate victim (SCV 1996).
In addition, besides possible population decreases, railway kills may cause shifts
in the age structure of populations. Huggard (1993) showed that American elks in
Banff National Park, Canada, whose ranges overlap roads or railways are less likely
to reach old age than animals away from these infrastructures. Additionally,
Huggard (1993) also found differences in body condition of American elk predated
by wolves and animals killed on the road or railway: elks killed by wolves were in
significantly poorer condition than those killed on road or railways, suggesting a
non-natural selection by trains and cars (Huggard 1993).
Train Accidents with Bears
Bears are often the most frequently reported carnivore killed by trains in Central
Europe and North America. In Montana, USA, 29 grizzly bears were killed on
109 km section of a railway track between 1980 and 2002 (Waller and Servheen
2005), while nine brown bears were killed on the Ljubljana–Trieste railway,
Slovenia, between 1992 and 1999 (Kaczensky et al. 2003). Train accidents with
bears were also reported in the Abruzzo mountains, Italy (Boscagli 1987), and in
Croatia, where 70% of all traffic killed bears occurred along the Zagreb–Rijeka
railway (Huber et al. 1998). In Mount Robson Provincial Park, Canada, the black
bear (U. americanus) was the carnivore with the highest mortality caused by trains,
with a higher number of collisions in railways than on the highways (Huijser et al.
2012). In British Columbia, Canada, 13 black bears were killed on a 15 km railway
section between 1994 and 1996 (Munro 1997; Wells et al. 1999).
Why are so many bears killed by trains? Historically, grizzly bears have been
attracted to railways by grain leaked from trains along the tracks or that accumulated at sites of repeated derailments. Such concentration of food led grizzly bears
being struck and killed by trains at these sites (Waller and Servheen 2005).
However, grain spills have been reduced through the years and recent research
suggests that most bears struck by trains are young individuals, which are unlikely
to have acquired the behaviour of feeding on spilled grains (Kaczensky et al. 2003;
Krofel et al. 2012). Some collisions happened because bears had used the railway as
14
S.M. Santos et al.