Our wildlife is threatened by many man-made activities. Cars driving along roads in the Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA are the chief culprits.
That’s why we want to make our roads safer – both for drivers AND for our animals.
The R43 from Bredasdorp to Elim, and R319 from Bredasdorp to Struisbaai, are among the worst roads in terms of roadkill. Everyday carcasses of small mammals like bat-eared foxes, Cape genet and even honey badger, as well as birds of prey like owls and buzzards, are found on this road.
It’s not only the twists and turns in the road on the R43; it’s especially at night, when much of the wildlife comes out of hiding to cross the road.
Because these roads head through a natural area, drivers have to be extra aware that wildlife is moving about.
It’s time to make things better and safer – for all road users. But we please need your help:
- We need to log roadkill, to understand where the threats are and put in place steps to protect wildlife in these spots.
- We need new signage to caution drivers to be aware.
Help us understand the threats
We’ve created a project on the citizen science phone application, iNaturalist, to monitor wildlife deaths. Firstly, download the app (from Google Playstore) to your phone. Register on the app, and join the project: ‘Deceased Wildlife of the Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA’. Then, where it is safe and possible to do so, please log sightings of roadkill and other dead animals in the boundaries of the NWSMA – especially along the R43 from just outside Bredasdorp to Elim. If you can, take a photo, and log the location, telling us what you’ve seen. Here’s more on the iNaturalist project and how to get involved.
Let’s help make drivers aware
Drivers who are new to the area should be made aware of the wildlife risks on the road. And drivers who are on the road constantly could easily forget the threats. That’s why we’re hoping to put up signage, to remind drivers to remain aware during the drive! But we need the seed funding to put this in place.
Please help. Get involved via our safe Payfast donation portal.
And please be extra cautious and aware of the region’s wonderful wildlife when you drive these roads – for a safer drive for you, and a safer crossing for animals.
