The day was a constant of light showers, and the kangaroos were out, I probably had to slow down to a walking pace for at least 30, beeping the horn to get them away from the road. Taking a bit more notice of them, noticed they were drinking the water collecting and running off the road. A truck would just treat them as skittles, as they obviously thought having a drink was more important than being bowled.
Many kangaroos had been killed, it just depended on which way they jumped when they decided to move.
I have seen kangaroos feeding on the side of the road, and know they get bowled when they are traveling to feeding grounds that happen to cross a road, but never have I heard of them sitting on the edge of the road drinking.
By the way this was mid morning to the middle of the day, not night time.
-- Edited by iana on Friday 3rd of May 2019 06:06:04 PM
I have seen this from the top of the Madura Pass to Coc klebiddy WA, thick with roos all drinking around the side of the road again at mid morning.
It's a situation where you have to watch your speed, the road up ahead and miss all the dead ones as well........some big wedgetails feeding on the roadkill too.
I have seen this from the top of the Madura Pass to Coc klebiddy WA, thick with roos all drinking around the side of the road again at mid morning.
It's a situation where you have to watch your speed, the road up ahead and miss all the dead ones as well........some big wedgetails feeding on the roadkill too.
I experienced a number of Wedgetail Eagles feeding on road kill and as my vehicle approached they took flight, slowly rising, and one turned in front and was hit by the caravan awning leading edge.
The result was a bloody mess inside the awning when opened and a badly damaged caravan mudguard after the carcass rotated with the wheel before exiting.
Yes there are plenty of kangeroos on the Nullarbor, especially so on the Western end
When it rains, the kangeroos are a darker colour
It make no difference on the more open Nullarbor, but for those travelling the West Australia scenic coastal route, they blend in with the trees behind them, during rain
Yes there are also plenty of Wedgetail Eagles, on the Nullorbor, having a feed on the road
I am led to believe that they are protected, and that we should slow down as we approach them, as they are slow to gain altitude, compared to other birds
Similar to our sightings of Roos & Emus between Cunnamulla & Bourke. The only GREEN growth around was on both edges of the highway.
The overnight moisture on the bitumen trickles off to the edges. There were lots of Roos & Emus eating the greenery on the edges in daylight with hundreds of dead ones all along the way.
Yes, Wedgies are protected, here's one from a recent Flinders Ranges trip feeding on a roadkill Emu.
Hi Ian,
I agree with the others having spent many miles & kms out there (on the SA side) with work (Telstra).
Two points with roos - on cold nights when most caravaners should be tucked up in bed, the bitumen is generally warmer than the surrounding ground & roos won't be in a hurry to get off.
- also with water run off the bitumen, the grass grows quickly - is nice & juicy & is very tempting to hungry roos (also picked up by Olive Oil).
Wedgetail Eagles - One should take extreme care when approaching them. If you hit them, they will die & you'll have a smashed windscreen, etc. Their habit is to stand their ground & protect their newly found tucker - even if the other threat is not another eagle but a fast moving truck or car. Also added to that is their weight - they are a big bird & take considerable time to lift off!
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
On that journey I pull in for the day early in afternoon . Before 3pm . As I find they seem to be out around evening ! The only roo I have hit was 4.30 in Hunter Valley NSW . Came from 20m on left . No time to brake etc . Ahhh! Have Roo bar . Didnt protect my lights tho !
New Member. I live in a remote area, but not off the beaten track. I am passionate about all animal life, but am not a greeny, nor do I agree with the PETA style of people. Where I usually travel their are a lot of animals on the road, be it by truck 4WD with/out caravan and bicycling camping and touring. When I see animals on th road including birds, I slow down, to give them a chance to get off the road, usually only by 10 km per hr, but it is enough. We currently have livestock everywhere in my Local, and it seems it is only locals slowing down to less 40km per hr. We have touring c/vanners coming through all the time, not slowing down for them. Always in a hurry to get somewhere. Why is that. The big trucks coming through, maybe hit at the most a half dozen roo's a week, as they travel mainly at night on our 200km road from big town to big town. but c.vanners and other travellers are cleaning up a hell of a lot more. We have a workshop in our little bush town, many a vanner in for repairs during the week as they travel later in the day and evening. It sickens me to see the dead wildlife including majestic eagles every day I travel to town. All I am asking is, to slow down to a reasonable speed to let these animals get off the road. We are down to just 27% of the total number of wildlife that we had when Europeans arrived, and current indications put 90% of all wildlife gone with in 38 years. Hell we only have 2700 koalas left on the eastern seaboard. Protect our wildlife please.
-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Tuesday 7th of May 2019 02:05:45 PM
New Member. I live in a remote area, but not off the beaten track. I am passionate about all animal life, but am not a greeny, nor do I agree with the PETA style of people. Where I usually travel their are a lot of animals on the road, be it by truck 4WD with/out caravan and bicycling camping and touring. When I see animals on th road including birds, I slow down, to give them a chance to get off the road, usually only by 10 km per hr, but it is enough. We currently have livestock everywhere in my Local, and it seems it is only locals slowing down to less 40km per hr. We have touring c/vanners coming through all the time, not slowing down for them. Always in a hurry to get somewhere. Why is that. The big trucks coming through, maybe hit at the most a half dozen roo's a week, as they travel mainly at night on our 200km road from big town to big town. but c.vanners and other travellers are cleaning up a hell of a lot more. We have a workshop in our little bush town, many a vanner in for repairs during the week as they travel later in the day and evening. It sickens me to see the dead wildlife including majestic eagles every day I travel to town. All I am asking is, to slow down to a reasonable speed to let these animals get off the road. We are down to just 27% of the total number of wildlife that we had when Europeans arrived, and current indications put 90% of all wildlife gone with in 38 years. Hell we only have 2700 koalas left on the eastern seaboard. Protect our wildlife please.
-- Edited by Bicyclecamper on Tuesday 7th of May 2019 02:05:45 PM
Very well put. I for one will be taking your advice and slowing down for wildlife. Thankyou for your post.
I have seen this from the top of the Madura Pass to Coc klebiddy WA, thick with roos all drinking around the side of the road again at mid morning.
It's a situation where you have to watch your speed, the road up ahead and miss all the dead ones as well........some big wedgetails feeding on the roadkill too.
Just came back from WA & Madura Pass area was littered with roadkill the likes of which I have never seen so bad; on the way back hardly anything!
Roos (live ones) were thick on the roadside either side of Caiguna.
