Reports of deceased or injured roadside animals in Belgium have hit an all-time high in the first six months of this year.
According to dierenonderwielen.be, which is a website where the public can submit reports on roadside animal deaths, there has been 10,659 incidents for the first half of the year, compared to 9,000 in the same period last year, and 7,425 in 2022.
Reptiles appear to be the most frequently reported. This year, the victims have so far included 6,888 reptiles or amphibians, 2,877 mammals, and 894 birds.
Last year, in the same half-year period, reptiles and amphibians were again the most commonly affected animals. Conversely, there has been a drop in reports involving birds, which numbered 1,109, and mammals, amounting to 3,212, in 2023.
Natuurpunt, a Belgian nature conservation association which is active in Flanders and Brussels, points out however that the spike in reports does not necessarily mean that more animals have been killed.
The association suggests that more people might simply have discovered how to use the website or decided to start reporting.
