a movement route (Kaczensky et al. 2003), or were attracted by food resources in
railway verges (Gibeau and Herrero 1998; Waller and Servheen 2005). When both
railways and highways are present, however, bears seem to cross railways mostly at
night, when highway traffic volume decreases, but when railway traffic volume
increases (Waller and Servheen 2005). Apparently, bears have learned to avoid the
periods of higher risk in highways but in the process have become more exposed to
railway collisions, as suggested by different mortality rates between the two
infrastructures (Waller and Servheen 2005).
Even though the railways may pose significant mortality risks for bears, not all
populations are threatened by train accidents. This is the case of Slovenian bear
population that appears to be increasing in spite of 6.6% of annual bear mortality
being caused by railway collisions (Krofel et al. 2012).
The Case of Asian Elephants
In India the railway is quite extensive and train collisions with elephants have been
identified as a conservation concern (Deka and Sarma 2012; Singh et al. 2001).
From 1987 to 2001, 18 elephants were killed in train accidents in a section of
23 km of rail in the Rajaji National Park, India (Singh et al. 2001). These numbers
accounted for 45% of total elephant mortality in the studied area for the same period
(Singh et al. 2001). In addition, the Indian Forest Department records show that
railway trains were responsible for killing at least 35 elephants in the Assam region
between 1990 and 2006 (Deka and Sarma 2012).
Maximum elephant mortality occurred during the summer months of high temperatures and low rainfall. The high temperatures and water scarcity appeared to be the
deciding factors forcing elephants to cross the rail tracks during the late dry season
when water sources on the southern side of rail had dried up (Singh et al. 2001).
What About the Collisions with Other Mammal Species?
For most European countries most mammals killed in train collisions are of small
size and efforts have been made to document all species accidents (SCV 1996; van
der Grift 1999). In Netherlands, 38% of collisions comprises lagomorphs (Lepus
europaeus and Oryctolagus cuniculus), and 30% carnivores (including the badger
Meles meles, red fox Vulpes vulpes and stoat Mustela erminea). Small percentages
were registered for ungulates (roe deer and wild boar: 9%), small insectivores
(hedgehog and mole Talpa europaea: 6%) and rodents (red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, muskrat Ondatra zibethicus and brown rat Rattus norvegicus: 4%) (van der
Grift 1999). In the Czech Republic, 73.5% of the recorded collisions include roe
deer, 20.4% European hare (Lepus europaeus), 4.1% wild boar and 2% red fox
(Kušta et al. 2011).
2 Current Knowledge on Wildlife Mortality in Railways
15
railway verges (Gibeau and Herrero 1998; Waller and Servheen 2005). When both
railways and highways are present, however, bears seem to cross railways mostly at
night, when highway traffic volume decreases, but when railway traffic volume
increases (Waller and Servheen 2005). Apparently, bears have learned to avoid the
periods of higher risk in highways but in the process have become more exposed to
railway collisions, as suggested by different mortality rates between the two
infrastructures (Waller and Servheen 2005).
Even though the railways may pose significant mortality risks for bears, not all
populations are threatened by train accidents. This is the case of Slovenian bear
population that appears to be increasing in spite of 6.6% of annual bear mortality
being caused by railway collisions (Krofel et al. 2012).
The Case of Asian Elephants
In India the railway is quite extensive and train collisions with elephants have been
identified as a conservation concern (Deka and Sarma 2012; Singh et al. 2001).
From 1987 to 2001, 18 elephants were killed in train accidents in a section of
23 km of rail in the Rajaji National Park, India (Singh et al. 2001). These numbers
accounted for 45% of total elephant mortality in the studied area for the same period
(Singh et al. 2001). In addition, the Indian Forest Department records show that
railway trains were responsible for killing at least 35 elephants in the Assam region
between 1990 and 2006 (Deka and Sarma 2012).
Maximum elephant mortality occurred during the summer months of high temperatures and low rainfall. The high temperatures and water scarcity appeared to be the
deciding factors forcing elephants to cross the rail tracks during the late dry season
when water sources on the southern side of rail had dried up (Singh et al. 2001).
What About the Collisions with Other Mammal Species?
For most European countries most mammals killed in train collisions are of small
size and efforts have been made to document all species accidents (SCV 1996; van
der Grift 1999). In Netherlands, 38% of collisions comprises lagomorphs (Lepus
europaeus and Oryctolagus cuniculus), and 30% carnivores (including the badger
Meles meles, red fox Vulpes vulpes and stoat Mustela erminea). Small percentages
were registered for ungulates (roe deer and wild boar: 9%), small insectivores
(hedgehog and mole Talpa europaea: 6%) and rodents (red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, muskrat Ondatra zibethicus and brown rat Rattus norvegicus: 4%) (van der
Grift 1999). In the Czech Republic, 73.5% of the recorded collisions include roe
deer, 20.4% European hare (Lepus europaeus), 4.1% wild boar and 2% red fox
(Kušta et al. 2011).
2 Current Knowledge on Wildlife Mortality in Railways
15