Coronavirus lockdowns have been good for animals
Wild animals and even domestic animals have had a good couple of months with a dramatic drop in deaths on the road.
In fact, if traffic remains 50 percent lower for a year, about 500 million animals will be saved, a report says.
According to a report by the University of California, during the peak time of virus lockdowns, traffic on U.S. roads fell 73 percent. Collisions with deer, elk, moose, bears and mountain lions fell 58 percent. Rates of death on the roads for domestic animals (like dogs and sheep) fell by a similar percentage.
The study analyzed roadkill data for California, Idaho, and Maine, states that have excellent wild-life collision data.
Deaths of deer and moose dropped 40 to 50 percent in all three states.
Deaths of California mountain lions on the road fell from two deaths a week to less than one. That could add up to saving 50 mountain lions this year.
That is good news for animals, but good news for people, too. Each year about 200 people die in car crashes with animals, according to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration.