Road network is a death trap for wildlife, a note on the roadkill of Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica) from the Banaskatha district of Gujarat, India

Abstract

Roads kill hundreds of millions of animals every year and pose a significant threat to many species. Vehicles cause significant mortality among the wildlife as roads bisect the home ranges, territories, migration routes, and movement corridors for wildlife. We have observed two roadkill of Indian civet (Viverricula indica) in the Banaskatha district of Gujarat. Both roadkills were located nearby the human habitation and agricultural areas, whereas scrub patch was scattered and small.  Prosopis juliflora, an alien invasive species of the area, dominated along the roadside which provides suitable habitat for the small Indian civet and its prey for hiding and used as wildlife refugia as well as it offers readily available food thrown out by passengers hence it attracts wildlife and acts as an ecological trap. Despite the widespread distribution of Indian civets, little is known about their ecology, behavior, and threat. Minimizing road-induced mortality among wildlife demands an interdisciplinary approach.