SURVEY OF DEATHS OF WILD VERTEBRATES DUE THE RUNNING OVER IN A STRETCH OF ESTRADA DO MAR (RS-389).

Abstract

Roads cause several impacts to the environment, such as the mortality of animals due the running over, which can cause significant reduction of the populations affected. There was a survey of wild vertebrates killed by vehicles in a stretch of 12 km of the RS-389 highway, in the city of Osório, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from August 2007 to May 2008. Samples were taken every fifteen days (21 at all), on foot, allowing a detailed view of the dead animals. The non-parametric statistical test Kruskal-Wallis (KW) and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. In total, 143 records were made from four classes, 12 orders, 20 families and 27 species. Reptiles were the most affected, followed by mammals. Trachemys dorbigni (Emydidae) was the commonest species, followed by Didelphis albiventris (Didelphidae). It was still registered two dead individuals of Lontra longicaudis, threatened species of extinguishing. It was verified that consecutive six kilometers had been responsible for 79% of the running over registers, showing that this stretch of the road can be considered critical. The impact on the population of L. longicaudis must receive special attention, to appear as vulnerable on the list of endangered species in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.