It’s part of the deal for most people living in a small regional town; lots of time spent on the road between places. This means that what happens on the roads attracts a lot of attention, occupies drivers’ minds and generates conversations. And lately it seems that what happens on the road is: animals, lots of different animals. So the TT [Tarrangower Times] thought it was time to address some of the issues, answer some key questions and offer readers a handy reference guide for ‘who to call’.
Driving safely on regional roads
Road rules address the issue of animals on roads mainly with signage. Warning signs, such as the iconic kangaroo symbol, are in place to alert drivers to the possibility of fauna crossing. Interestingly, a VicRoads document called ‘Fauna sensitive road design guidelines’ from August 2012 advises that: “Success of permanent signage in reducing roadkill and public awareness diminishes over time, particularly with local residents familiar with the signs.” In reference to driving during riskier times, the VicRoads website simply advises: “Avoid driving at dusk or at night. Night time driving can be dangerous on roads which have no street lighting.” The key reminder is that drivers should remain vigilant and keep an eye out for animals on the road.
Livestock on the road
When a ‘Give Way To Stock’ sign is displayed, drivers must slow down and give way, or stop if necessary to avoid hitting an animal. When a stop sign is displayed, drivers must stop until all animals have crossed the road. Unattended livestock on major highways should be reported to VicRoads; these include Bridgewater-Maldon Road, Midland Highway, Pyrenees Highway, Castlemaine-Maldon Road, Maldon-Newstead Road and Bendigo-Maldon Road. Wandering livestock on local roads such as Fogarty’s Gap Road, Strathlea Road and Nuggetty Road should be reported to Mount Alexander Shire Council.
Introduced species
It is not recommended to call wildlife rescuers for introduced species such as deer. Leading Senior Constable David Rose of Maldon Police Station states that it is appropriate to call police for assistance. “We’ll assess any animal,” he says. “If you hit a deer and it’s in distress and needs euthanising, by all means call triple zero.”
Native wildlife
There are various organisations available to help if an emergency occurs involving a native animal, such as a vehicle collision with a kangaroo. Many local volunteers are on standby to assist and resources are available to inform drivers about how to proceed safely.
Director of Red Box Wildlife Shelter (RBWS) Nikki Medwell says that drivers can take some basic steps if they hit a native animal. “In this day and age, there is no reason why they can’t make a phone call,” she says.
Local wildlife rescuer Delrene Stone is very clear on this point. “We always suggest calling Wildlife Victoria.” She goes on to explain that Wildlife Victoria has numerous rescuers on call across the region and will alert rescuers who are most appropriately trained to deal with the situation at hand. She says it is ideal for drivers to stay with an animal that has been hurt. “Location information is vital, drivers can use the number on a farm gate or drop a pin if they are tech-savvy. Otherwise we waste too much time trying to find an injured animal.”
Delrene says that members of the public can carefully check pouches of deceased animals and points out that an animal with a fluorescent paint mark has already been checked.
RBWS provides free ‘Wildlife Assistance Kits’ that offer clear and simple steps, starting with finding a safe place to pull over, and include useful phone numbers and hints. Delrene warns drivers to be careful. “Personal safety is paramount,” she says. “We don’t want someone approaching an injured kangaroo if they don’t know what to do.”
Wildlife Assistance Kits are available at the Community Bank Maldon & District branch at 81 High Street Maldon and Nikki makes it clear that they are not rescue kits. “They’re designed to empower members of the public to know what to do and who to call.”
Free printables and instructions to make the kits are also available on the Kangaroo Rangers website, look for Roo Ranger Resources or go directly to: kangaroorangers.com/roo-rangers-girl-guides-program/.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 26 July 2024.
