Overview
- The peer-reviewed Biology Letters analysis synthesized 312 studies from 67 countries, covering at least 650 species and organizing 26 broad and 91 specific research uses.
- Documented applications include disease and pathogen surveillance, genetic sampling for conservation, diet and habitat studies, veterinary training, and classroom demonstrations.
- Constraints noted by the authors include rapid decomposition, scavenger removal, permitting requirements, biohazard and traffic risks, and sampling bias because roads are not random.
- Recommended practices include sampling across varied road types and speeds, prioritizing fresher specimens when necessary, and returning unused parts away from roads to reduce scavenger risk.
- Case examples range from baiting golden eagles with deer carcasses and molecular analyses of roadkilled snakes to teaching fossilization and identifying previously unknown or elusive species, with Australian reporting citing an estimate of about 10 million native animals killed on roads each year.