Deer most vulnerable to vehicle collisions in B.C

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Being born a deer in B.C. is more likely to get you tattooed by a vehicle’s grill than any other animal in Canada.

According to a new study by two University of Northern B.C. professors, more deer are hit by vehicles in Northern B.C. than any other animal.

After deer, moose and bears are the most likely
to get hit by a vehicle in northern B.C.

The authors, looking to determine seasonal patterns of collisions involving wildlife, reviewed 77,000 collision reports from 1996 to 2005, as supplied by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, reports the Prince George Citizen.

After deer, the most commonly hit animals are moose, bear, elk and caribou, according to the study.

The study raises questions on factors involved in wildlife-vehicle collisions, including signage, landscape features, salt on the road and the shape of roads. And it lists some strategies to reduce wildlife collisions, such as better lighting, fencing, and guardrails.

On the other side of the country, New Brunswick has done just that. An electric fence installed in the Belledune area is said to be very successful in reducing vehicle-wildlife collisions.

Opposition politicians want the fence extended to most highways in the northern part of the province. But the Transportation Ministry would only commit to extending the Belledune fence as well as look at other options like new warning signs and brush cutting.

Wildlife-vehicle collisions have increased across Canada, with incidents in Alberta and Ontario in particular almost doubling since the early ’90s.

— with files from the Prince George Citizen