A kangaroo leaping through the air as it moves along a roadside near Sydney in this file pic. — Reuters
CANBERRA: Canberra has been named the roadkill capital of Australia for the third consecutive year after about 200 collisions between drivers and animals were reported in 12 months, Xinhua news agency reports, quoting insurance company data.
According to data from claims made to insurance company AAMI, the Canberra suburbs of Majura and Fyshwick had the highest number of collisions between drivers and animals in the country, with 98 recorded between March 2018 and February 2019.
Nationally, kangaroos accounted for 96% of insurance claims involving collision with an animal while wombats and wallabies made up 1% each.
The kangaroo collisions from the nearby areas of Kambah, Greenway, Deakin and Belconnen, among others, brought the total for Canberra, Australia's capital city, to about 232.
AAMI spokesman Ashleigh Paterson told Fairfax Media on Thursday that collisions with animals were more common in the winter months.
"As the days shorten, motorists are sharing the road with animals for longer periods of time as they are most active during dawn and dusk.
"Simple things such as being aware of your surroundings, driving to the speed limits and being extra vigilant at dawn and dusk can help keep you and our wildlife safe," she said.
The Australian Capital Territory government culls eastern grey kangaroos in parks and grassland around Canberra between May and July every year in order to control the population and prevent it from over-grazing.
The government expects that more than 4,000 kangaroos will be shot during the 10-week programme in 2019, twice as many as in 2018.
