Wildlife crosses Tasmania's country roads at night. Be aware and take care to save an animal's life and avoid damage to your car.
Local populations of native animals have been known to become extinct due to road mortality.
Tips to ensure you don't hit native animals with your car:
Scan the sides of the road for wildlife at night - this will also help you to stay alert
Animals such as Tasmanian devils are very hard to see against a black bitumen road, particularly when it is wet
Drive slower at night to give you and the animal a better chance of avoiding a collision
Take note of wildlife warning signs - they are there to advise you of known 'hot spots'
Animals react differently to approaching cars and it is best to let the animal move off first before passing
Drive with special care on roads that have steep banks on either side - animals can become trapped and unable to escape from approaching cars
Don't throw any rubbish, including apple cores or other fruit and vegetable scraps from your car that can attract wildlife to feed on the sides of roads
In the case of an accident
If you are unfortunate enough to hit an animal, please stop if it is safe to do so. The casualty may be able to be treated. Female marsupials very often have pouch young which can be saved. Injured and orphaned animals require special treatment. Keep the animal in a warm, dark place when transporting it and contact Bonorong Wildlife Rescue on 0447 264 625. This number is also available for assistance out of hours.
Please keep in mind that permits may be required to keep wildlife for the purposes of rehabilitation. See our
Injured and Orphaned Wildlife page for full details.
Rangers move dead animals from roads around national parks and reserves. This helps stop Tasmanian devils and other scavenging animals such as the threatened wedge-tailed eagle from being killed when they are feeding off a road kill. If you move an animal from the road consider your own safety.