Kangaroo Island, the 1st of May 2011

Dear Ministers and Members of Parliament,

We would like to convey to you a matter of deep concern to us.

Kangaroo Island is a place blessed with an abundance of unique wildlife. It is advertised worldwide as a perfect place for watching Australian wildlife, attracting large numbers of national and international visitors.

Unfortunately, during the course of their visit they are witness to the large and growing numbers of road kills, which rightly distress them as well as many residents: Island kangaroos, Tamar wallabies, brush-tailed possums, echidnas, Rosenberg monitors, many species of birds, are frequent victims of the road. Some days hundreds of them are killed in this way, often left to die a slow and agonising death.

Many orphan youngsters are also left to die in the wild or in marsupial pouches after their mother has been killed.

Residents in their majority and most tourists are quite appalled with this sad state of affairs.

There are some who consider that this is just a matter of unpleasant and unfortunate circumstances, seing a dead or dying animal as just another victim of the way human society functions. There are some who reckon that Council should have a patrol collecting all the dead or dying animals and disposing of them away from the public eye. Notwithstanding the daunting impossibility of the task (considering the large size of the island, its many roads and the very limited Council resources), we feel, like a majority of residents, that this is not the point: addressing the problem is a matter of conscience, of doing what is humanely right; it is not just a matter of window dressing.

Accordingly, we think the matter could be addressed with three practical actions.

The maximum speed limit on the island is 110 km/h. This speed limit should be lowered between sunset and sunrise, when wildlife is most active and when most road kills occur.

Local experience has taught us that lowering speed limit is a very effective mean of lowering road casualties. For example, since the speed limit was lowered from 100 km/h to 80 km/h on the main road along the town of Baudin Beach, the number of dead animals found every day on this stretch of road has clearly been reduced. Another example: since the lowering of the general speed limit within the town of American River from 60 to 50 km/h, the same observation can be made.

Thus limiting speed limits is the prime tool for alleviating unnecessary road kills.

Two other actions would also contribute to lowering the number of road kills.

Firstly, the road edges should be cleared of vegetation, which often is left growing right to the edge of the roads. It is quite often the case that drivers have no time to react to any animals suddenly springing out of the dense bush that is growing on the road verges. This measure would present the added advantage of increasing road safety in case of bushfires, which do happen frequently on the island.

In addition, where road visibility is particularly poor, e.g. at crests and turnings, installing a chain mesh fence (as used on freeways etc) on both sides of the road would help prevent most animals from crossing at these heavy carnage sites.

We are aware these provisions would have their cost and that the lowering of speed limits would meet with some opposition, but we consider them to be a reasonable and necessary for the reducement on the carnage on our roads and to increase safety. They would make the roads safer for tourists unfamiliar with the low visibility risks and dirt road conditions. From an economic point of view, considering that tourism is paramount to the livelihood of our island, and that significant vehicle damage costs would be lowered, the outcome would on the whole be positive.

We can only advise our lawmakers of the situation, but we do hope you’ll be able to act quickly and decisively on this issue of conscience, in an action which will lower unnecessary suffering and increase the chance of preserving wildlife for future generations.

With respect,

Dr Gabriel Bittar, po box 281, American River 5221, ph. 08 8553 7442

Des Lanthois, President, Baudin Beach Progress Association, Bessell Drive, Baudin Beach 5222, ph. 8553 1483

Graham Walkom, Councillor, Kangaroo Island

Ken Liu, Councillor, Kangaroo Island

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Answers, lack of, and comments on these by Dr Gabriel Bittar (as of 2011.08.16):

SA government:

Mike Rann MP, Premier of SA : matter referred to Min. Tom Kenyon

Paul Caica MP, Minister for the Environment and Conservation : matter referred to Min. Tom Kenyon. Dr Bittar’s comment: considering the very special status of the island fauna, he definitely should seriously address the matter.

John Rau MP, Minister for Tourism : no answer. Dr Bittar’s comment: considering State plans to enormously increase the number of tourists on the island, he also should seriously address the matter.

Tom Kenyon MP, Minister for Road Safety : answers  a) that the Dep. for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI) “does not support a change in speed limit between sunset and sunrise”.  b) “DTEI is responsible for setting speed limits across the state”, but nevertheless passes on the bucket to Council: “a change (…) would need to be formally supported by the Council in the first instance.”  c) Council is responsible for the road reserve starting one meter behind the white guidepost line to the property boundary, thus it is Council responsibility to fence wherever necessary. It is also up to Council to address poor visibility due to vegetation growing close to the roads, and it is “trialling an increased vegetation clearance width at the side of the road to improve visibility to native wildlife for drivers in an attempt to reduce the number of animals being hit by vehicles.”  d) “DTEI will continue to work with the Council to incorporate strategies to reduce the amount of native wildlife being killed on Kangaroo Island roads.”

Dr Bittar’s comment: from correspondence between DTEI, Council and Councillor Liu, it looks like the most potentially successful line of action would be for Council to request a lowering of the blanket max speed limit of 110 km/h on the island to 100 km/h. Considering that 110 km/h results in a braking length and a shock energy larger by 21% or more compared to 100 km/h, this would be quite a useful action, bringing in addition more safety to all road users.

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Federal Government:

No answers from Federal PM and MPs, despite native wildlife falling under their juridiction.

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Federal and State opposition:

Jamie Briggs MP, Federal Member for Mayo : matter referred to Michael Pengilly MP

Michael Pengilly MP, State Member for Finniss : no answer

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NG Organisations:

Voiceless : no answer

WWF Australia : no answer