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Wildlife Carcass Removal Reporting Protocol in Washington State

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Glen Kalisz - Washington State Department of Transportation
Advancing innovative technologies
Technical Session 19: Roadkill Data Collection 1, 2, 3!

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has invested in habitat connectivity infrastructure at least as far back as 1976 when the first two wildlife crossing structures in the state were constructed. Since then, dozens more have been built, WSDOT issued a secretarial order calling for the consideration of wildlife habitat connectivity during transportation projects, and the landmark Snoqualmie Pass East Project was conceived, partially constructed, and already documenting successes. While many people and data sources have contributed to connectivity-related success stories, one data source in particular has consistently remained an integral tool for identifying where to invest in research or mitigation such as expensive, long-term infrastructure – the wildlife carcass removal dataset. A wildlife carcass removal is recorded when an animal killed by a vehicle, usually visible to passing motorists, is removed from the highway and either taken to a pit site or moved out of drivers' field of view. WSDOT has been recording carcass removals statewide as standard protocol since 1973, and over the decades have refined the collection, reporting and quality control practices involved. I'll describe how the carcass removal protocol has changed since 1973, and what the current protocol entails from start to finish, as I believe our standardized and rigorous practices could help others developing their own carcass removal tracking programs. I'll touch on several research projects, both inside and outside WSDOT, that have utilized this data, as well as how it's used to inform management of the state's transportation system.

Habitat Connectivity
wildlife-vehicle collisions
Carcass Removals

Header image courtesy of Martin Gradjean -- Air Traffic Network

ICOET 2025 — International Conference On Ecology and Transportation