Modeling the Impact of Highways on the Impedance of Movement and Mortality Locations of Wildlife: A Case Study of the NH6 in Maharashtra, India

Wildlife mortality due to vehicular collision especially on roads passing through the vicinity of protected areas in India is a major cause of wildlife death. Though identification of mortality locations is key to developing mitigation measures, these are very often data intensive. This chapter discusses the development of a model with limited inputs, using data from the NH6 highway in Maharashtra state, India. Impedance maps for the Chital (Axis axis) and the Gray langur, prepared using expert knowledge analysis, indicate relative mortality along the highways. The probability of road kill for the indicator species is estimated using a traversability equation. The impedance model showed high impedance values for the chital as compared to the langur. The developed model is able to predict relative wildlife mortality locations using only species presence data. It is thus a useful tool for wildlife managers and road construction agencies for better planning of underpasses and overpasses. Further work on applying and validating the model in other locations for other species will be useful in refining this model and making it a robust tool for planning underpasses and overpasses along highways.