Roadkill Stats Surprise Scientists

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7828964.post-18381686209338217072008-04-18T13:33:00.005-05:002008-04-18T13:39:27.683-05:00Roadkill Stats Surprise Scientists<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_3OGGIL-d47k/SAjppJpYz8I/AAAAAAAAAG0/PMwOkFSVIr0/s1600-h/roadkill-540x380.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_3OGGIL-d47k/SAjppJpYz8I/AAAAAAAAAG0/PMwOkFSVIr0/s320/roadkill-540x380.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190655463717916610" border="0" /></a><blockquote> The scientists focused their survey on four Indiana roads covering 11 miles, through urban and rural areas. Glista, then a Purdue University researcher who is now a scientist with the Indiana Department of Transportation, and colleagues DeWoody and Travis DeVault counted road kill on the routes twice weekly for over a year. They used a GPS unit to mark locations, also noting the weather and surrounding habitats. Back at Purdue, they compiled the information into a database and were shocked by the results. During the survey, they found 10,500 dead animals representing 69 species. Ninety-five percent were amphibians and reptiles, with <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/02/27/frogchange_ani.html?category=animals&guid=20070227140030" target="_blank">bullfrogs and other frogs</a>, often too damaged to fully identify, topping the list. The most frequently listed birds and mammals were opossums (79) and chimney swifts (36). The bodies of shrews, skunks, voles, muskrats, mice, raccoons, squirrels, Eastern cottontails, song sparrows, European starlings, American robins, turtles and <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/08/20/snakes_ani.html" target="_blank">snakes</a> were also documented. </blockquote>Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News The above photo is from Getty Images Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11091815786829687512noreply@blogger.com