National Roadkill Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Roadkill

National Roadkill Day occurs annually on September 25. Although you may presume that National Roadkill Day is about bringing attention to the dangers of roadkill or the fact that so many animals die on the roads, this is incorrect. The purpose of National Roadkill Day is to raise awareness about roadkill as an immediate and waste-free way to help sustain many starving Americans.

The background of National Roadkill Day

Since the invention of automobiles in the early 1900s, roadkill refers to wildlife slain or injured by moving vehicles. Joseph Grinnell, a naturalist, began to investigate roadkill when it became a safety and ecological concern and data began to accumulate. He estimated that hundreds or even thousands of animals are struck by vehicles every day in the state of California alone. That was a century ago, but the numbers have only grown since then.

According to State Farms, there were 2,1 million animal collision-related insurance claims in the United States between June 2020 and July 2021. The number of reported animal collisions in Pennsylvania increased to 166,404 in just that one year. Approximately 12,000 animal collision incidents were estimated to occur annually in one state in 1920, according to studies. California went from around 12,000 collisions to 104,767 incidents between 2020 and 2021 — an increase of 92,767 incidents.

Several factors have contributed to the significant increase in road fatalities. First, the human population has rapidly expanded along with the size of cities and towns; we have forced animals to exist in man-made environments despite the dangers posed to all species. Second, individuals are driving faster and more distractedly than ever before.

Normal highway velocities already pose a fatal risk of collisions due to driver distraction, yet many individuals continue to drive at high speeds. An estimated 1,6 million accidents in the United States are caused by drivers who are diverted by their phones. It’s simple to understand why roadkill has become so common in the United States when you consider all of these factors.

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5 ROADKILL FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

• Scientists can investigate animal anatomy and biology without killing them by examining roadkill.
• Carrion is a natural part of the diets of animals such as vultures, ravens, and foxes, and their consumption of roadkill prevents carcasses from remaining on roads for too long.
• If roadkill is sufficiently fresh and well-cooked, it is generally considered safe for ingestion; 49 states currently permit this practice.
• Despite the fact that roadkill is lawful to eat in the majority of the United States, most people still disapprove of it.
• Inexplicably, the popular program ‘Roadkill’ is about modified automobiles, not animals.
• NATIONAL ROADKILL DAY DATES