Chemwa, A. · Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation
Roads and habitat fragmentation threaten wildlife, yet environmental drivers of roadkill remain poorly understood. We investigated roadkill risk along Kenya’s Nairobi–Mombasa Highway in the Athi–Kapiti Plains using 6,240 km of road surveys conducted in 2023, historical roadkill records (2020–2022), and remote-sensing data on drought (SPEI) and vegetation productivity (NDVI). We recorded 218 roadkills involving 11 species, predominantly plains zebra (Equus quagga; 69%), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), and Maasai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi). Prolonged drought, reduced vegetation productivity, and wildlife use intensity were key predictors of roadkill risk. Roadkills also clustered near artificial water points, suggesting these may concentrate wildlife in high-risk areas. Our findings indicate that drought-driven resource scarcity increases wildlife movements and road crossings, potentially intensifying road mortality under climate change, and highlight the need to integrate climatic and habitat factors into roadkill mitigation strategies.