Effects of vehicular collisions on bird and mammal fauna in Magallanes, in summer

Abstract

For birds and megamammals, both the abundance and records of fauna roadkill in summer, on paved roads and gravel roads in the Magallanes Region, Chile, are described. In both types of routes, two specialists conducted vehicle routes, recording the number of birds and mammals, both alive and hit by vehicles, for each kilometer. The southern caracara was the most abundant species of raptor on paved roads in relation to gravel roads, while the guanaco was the most abundant mammal, both on roads and paths. Seven species were recently hit by roadkill, four mammals and three birds, all on the paved road, with no roadkill recorded on gravel roads. The hare was the mammal with the highest number of run-overs. The negative and positive effects of the roads on the fauna groups studied will be analyzed