Hunters install wildlife warning reflectors – big doubts about their effectiveness!

Hunters install wildlife warning reflectors – big doubts about their effectiveness!

In beautiful Calden it's back to business: The hunters Frank Wittig and Thomas Lambrecht took the initiative and recently installed 100 blue game warning reflectors in their area. This campaign was supported by the Calden hunting association and is particularly useful where the game crossing often offers good chances of encountering cars, such as on Rasenallee near Wilhelmsthal Castle. The goal is clear: to protect game from possible accidents and at the same time preserve the game meat as a tasty food. After all, there have already been more than nine wildlife accidents in the current hunting year, which is significantly more than in the entire previous year. Good to know there's some serious consideration going on here.

One of the big topics surrounding this campaign is the wildlife warning reflectors themselves. Opinions differ here, because while the hunters are convinced of the idea, the Federal Highway and Transport Agency expresses skepticism. According to their opinion, the game could get used to these warning devices, which could reduce their original effectiveness. Nevertheless, the authority does not fundamentally speak out against the use of reflectors. The installation can therefore be seen as an attempt to make the best of the situation, even if clear evidence of its effectiveness is still lacking. The HNA also reports that the effectiveness of these reflectors is controversial and there is no clear evidence of their effect HNA reports.

Skepticism and evidence from research

An interesting aspect that sheds light on the discussion are the results of a study from Baden-Württemberg that analyzed the effect of wildlife warning reflectors on the behavior of wild animals on the side of the road. In this study, carried out from July 2018 to June 2019, 14 road sections were monitored, using seven stationary thermal imaging cameras to record the behavior of deer, foxes and wild boars. Over 28,000 hours of video footage was collected over a year to document all the nuances of wild behavior FVA BW reports.

The research found that there was no significant response from deer and foxes to the reflection of light from the warning reflectors. Although deer occasionally made a brief movement away from the road, they quickly returned. Foxes usually showed no reaction at all to approaching vehicles. A combination of wildlife warning reflectors and additional flags also did not result in any increased reactions from the animals. These results cast a somewhat dim light on the hope that wildlife warning reflectors could really be a solution to the problem of wildlife accidents.

So the question remains: Are the wildlife warning reflectors actually a useful measure to reduce accidents with wildlife, or is it a well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective attempt? The hunters in Calden definitely want to take a step in the right direction with their installation, even if skepticism remains present. In the meantime, we can only hope that the next few months will be safer for wildlife and drivers.