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Long-term monitoring of spatial and temporal patterns in tapir–vehicle collisions in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Long-term monitoring of spatial and temporal patterns in tapir–vehicle collisions in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

Emília Patrícia Medici, Caroline Testa José, Renata Carolina Fernandes Santos, Ariel da Costa Canena, Felipe Moreli Fantacini, Arnaud Leonard Jean Desbiez, Fernanda Delborgo Abra, Rafael Ruas Martins, Guilherme Siniciato Terra Garbino and Yuri Souza
Global ecology and conservation, Vol.71, e04436
2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04436
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Published3.06 MBDownloadView
Open Access CC BY-NC-ND V4.0

Abstract

Cerrado Conservation Road Roadkill Mitigation Tapirus terrestris
Collisions between vehicles and animals pose a significant threat to all parties involved, particularly as growing human populations lead to increased road traffic and expanded road networks. In Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) state has the highest number of large mammal collisions nationwide, with lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) making up a considerable proportion of these incidents. Here, we explored the temporal and spatial patterns of tapir-vehicle collisions in MS state and their impact on human safety using a long-term monitoring program that tracked collision data involving the lowland tapir for 10 years, from 2010 to 2020. At least 612 tapir individuals were recorded in tapir-vehicle collisions across 30 roads in MS. The highways BR-267, MS-040, and BR-262 were identified as high-risk corridors. Of the tapir carcasses found, 186 were male and 110 were female, with three females carrying fetuses. Most identified tapir carcasses were sub-adult or adult, accounting for 93.25% of recovered carcasses. Collisions occurred predominantly at night and during crepuscular hours, aligning with tapir activity patterns, and increased in frequency during the dry season. Human injury outcomes were available for 59 collision events, involving 162 passengers: 27 fatalities, 69 injured passengers, and 66 unharmed passengers. We attributed this outcome to the absence of effective mitigation measures, including safe crossing, wildlife crossing signs, speed management, and wildlife underpasses combined with fencing. This situation increases tapir-vehicle collision risks and highlights the urgent need for road managers to implement targeted strategies and long-term monitoring to safeguard human safety and tapir populations.

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