ARCHIVED - Collisions with wild animals in Valencia region up 26 per cent in two years
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Pego and Els Poblets in Alicante province are hotspots for accidents with wild boar and deer, especially during hunting season
Road accidents involving wild animals in the Valencia region soared 26% in two years, continuing an upwards trend, with nine out of 10 of the collisions caused by boar and deer.
According to data from the regional government, a number of 'blackspots' have been identified, including in Pego and Els Poblets, Alicante province, due to the towns' close proximity to Marjal de Pego-Oliva nature reserve.
The study carried out by the Hunting and Fishing Service of the Directorate General for the Natural Environment and Environmental Assessment covers the period 2007-2020, where 2,929 collisions were recorded, with a marked increase in the last two years.
In fact, from 2018 to 2019 accidents rose by 26.7% although the number fell slightly in 2020, attributed in part to mobility restrictions due to the pandemic.
There are a number of black spots on roads across the region, with the most conflictive areas near the coastline, mainly in the regions of La Safor and La Marina, on the CV-700 and CV-715. Also in the northern half of Castellón, with the CV-10, the CV-11 and the N-340 being of "concern".
The concentrations of accidents in the north of Alicante province, as mentioned above, are also due to the high levels of traffic on these roads close to the natural park and hunting areas such as the V-10.270 and A-10.3330 reserves, prompting a study into "preventative measures" such as fencing off the most dangerous roads.
Most of the accidents occurred at night, especially in the winter months which coincide with the general hunting season. In fact, 63% of the recorded collisions occurred during these months, when wild animals are more "mobile, moving from roosting areas to feeding areas, and are more agitated due to the presence of hunters".
There are on average 300 traffic accidents involving wild boar and deer each year in the Valencia region, and the Hunting and Fishing Service report recommends that "changes in hunting management must be taken into account when it comes to preventing future traffic risks".
"The monitoring of these incidents allows for a better localisation of the preventive measures, as well as the adaptation of their design to the characteristics and habits of the most conflictive species, such as the wild boar," states the study, adding: "The statistics related to the evolution of populations also point to a growth that could lead to a greater number of collisions."
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