Vertebrate roadkills on State Highway 383, Rondônia, Brazil.

Roadkills are a serious threat to many species of wildlife worldwide. In Brazil, few studies are available about the importance of roadkills. Information about roadkills in Amazonia are even more scarce when compared to central and southern Brazil. Here we describe the vertebrate roadkills on State Highway 383 in Rondônia. From May 2004 – April 2005, thirty samples were taken the along 110km of the highway between Cacoal and Alta Floresta D’Oeste. Thirty-four vertebrate species were found in 259 specimens. In terms of absolute numbers, amphibians were the most frequent roadkills, with 68 individuals of two species. Birds followed, with 67 individuals of 12 species, then reptiles (67 indiv., 12 species) and mammals (63 indiv.,13 species). Eight species (Leptodactylus gr. pentadactylus, Rhinella sp, Amphisbaena sp., Liophis reginae, Crotophaga ani, Didelphis marsupialis, Euphractus sexcinctus and Cerdocyon thous) were the most frequent roadkills, accounting for 76% of the vertebrate roadkills. More than half of the roadkills occurred during the dry season

.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2009v22n1p121Atropelamento é uma importante causa de mortalidade para várias espécies de animais silvestres em todo o mundo. No Brasil são poucos os estudos sobre esse tema. Dados sobre atropelamentos na Amazônia são escassos quando comparados com as regiões sul e central. Esse estudo apresenta dados sobre vertebrados atropelados na Rodovia Estadual 383 em Rondônia. Entre maio de 2004 a abril de 2005 foram realizadas 30 amostragens no trecho de 110km da RO 383 entre os municípios de Cacoal e Alta Floresta D’Oeste. Foram registrados 259 espécimes pertencentes a 34 espécies de vertebrados. Anfíbios foi o grupo mais amostrado com 68 indivíduos (2 spp.), seguido de aves com 67 indivíduos (12 spp.), répteis com 63 indivíduos (13 spp.) e mamíferos com 61 indivíduos (7 ssp.). Oito espécies (Leptodactylus gr. pentadactylus, Rhinella sp, Amphisbaena sp., Liophis reginae, Crotophaga ani, Didelphis marsupialis, Euphractus sexcinctus e Cerdocyon thous) foram mais atropeladas e corresponderam a 76% dos vertebrados atropelados nesse estudo. Um maior número de espécimes atropelados foi observado no período da seca.Vertebrate roadkills on State Highway 383, Rondônia, Brazil. Roadkills are a serious threat to many species of wildlife worldwide. In Brazil, few studies are available about the importance of roadkills. Information about roadkills in Amazonia are even more scarce when compared to central and southern Brazil. Here we describe the vertebrate roadkills on State Highway 383 in Rondônia. From May 2004 – April 2005, thirty samples were taken the along 110km of the highway between Cacoal and Alta Floresta D’Oeste. Thirty-four vertebrate species were found in 259 specimens. In terms of absolute numbers, amphibians were the most frequent roadkills, with 68 individuals of two species. Birds followed, with 67 individuals of 12 species, then reptiles (67 indiv., 12 species) and mammals (63 indiv.,13 species). Eight species (Leptodactylus gr. pentadactylus, Rhinella sp, Amphisbaena sp., Liophis reginae, Crotophaga ani, Didelphis marsupialis, Euphractus sexcinctus and Cerdocyon thous) were the most frequent roadkills, accounting for 76% of the vertebrate roadkills. More than half of the roadkills occurred during the dry season