Reptile road-kills in Southern Brazil: Composition, hot moments and hotspots

摘要: Abstract Understanding road-kill patterns is the first step to assess potential effects of road mortality on wildlife populations, as well define need for mitigation and support its planning. Reptiles are one vertebrate groups most affected by roads through vehicle collisions, both because they intentionally killed drivers, due their biological needs, such thermoregulation, which make them more prone collisions. We conducted monthly surveys (33 months), searching carcasses freshwater turtles, lizards, snakes a 277-km stretch BR-101 in Southernmost Brazil estimate composition magnitude describe main periods locations road-kills. modeled distribution road-kills space according land cover classes local traffic volume. Considering detection capacity our method carcass persistence probability, we estimated that 15,377 reptiles road-killed per year (55 reptiles/km/year). Road-kills, especially lizards snakes, were concentrated during summer, probably higher activity this period. Road-kill hotspots coincident among snakes. was negatively related pine plantations, positively rice plantations A cost-benefit analysis highlighted if measures installed at hotspots, correspond 21% road, could have avoided up 45% recorded reptile fatalities, assuming 100% effectiveness. Given congruent found all three taxa, same be used minimize impacts collision herpetofauna.