CARRION SEASONALITY AND SCAVENGING PATTERNS ALONG THE A19-MOTORWAY, NORTH YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the world over, road networks are known to be a pervasive feature of the global landscape, fragmenting habitats and causing significant wildlife mortality. For instance, conventional approach to Carrion management is viewed solely as a sanitation and safety issue, with carcasses removed promptly. This study posits that wildlife carcasses represent an undervalued ecological resource, functioning as a Nature-based Solution (NbS), supporting scavenger populations, nutrient cycling, as well as local biodiversity. The study covered a period of twelve (12) months (January - December 2023). Systematic survey of a 45 km portion of the A19 motorway between Thirsk and Teesside, North Yorkshire, UK, was carried out. Carcass abundance was measured using the using survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier estimator), while removal rates were monitored insitu. Scavenger activity was quantified with the use of Remote camera traps: BolyGuard SG520 Compact Trail Camera. About 412 individual wildlife carcasses across 26 species were recorded. Species that were most frequent were: European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) (22.8%), European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) (18.2%), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (9.7%). There is high variability in carcass persistence, with results showing a median time of 4.2 days before removal or consumption. Data further revealed a diverse scavenger guild, including red fox (Vulpes vulpes), corvids (e.g., Corvus corone), buzzards (Buteo buteo), and feral domestic cats (Felis catus), with nocturnal scavenging being more predominant. Furthermore, wildlife carcasses were observed to have provided substantial, pulsed food subsidy for scavengers. A paradigm shifts in Carrion management that implied waste disposal to an integrated NbS strategy was proposed. Designated "carcass retention zones" were recommended for low-risk areas. Also, a combined effort of enhanced wildlife crossing structures, were equally recommended so as to harness this ecological function, thereby promoting scavenger population health and contributing to ecosystem services without compromising motorist safety.