Driving in the city is quite different than country driving. In the city where there a lot more traffic and also more road infrastructure, a driver is often focused on the space immediately in front of them, to avoid collisions and to respond to road traffic controls.  However in the country, when surrounded by natural areas, a driver needs to maintain an open and more distant gaze to see the broader environment. This is because country roads mean that there will be wildlife present. Country driving involves the risk of striking both large and small animals.

Southern Ontario has the highest concentration of roads, and this infrastructure is expanding ever more northward as people gravitate to the country. With road expansion, comes habitat fragmentation which leads to more wildlife on roads themselves.

Habitat fragmentation can increase the numbers of large species on roads such as deer (because they are unable to travel freely between regions without crossing the road), and also, it can increase the numbers of smaller species such as turtles who need to travel memorized routes between annual nesting, hibernation or feeding grounds within a dedicated territory. To reach parts of their native habitat, they now have to cross roads.

In addition to more roads and increased habitat fragmentation, there is also increasing road traffic from travelers to Cottage Country.

In Ontario alone there is about 14,000-15,000 wildlife collisions that are reported per year, almost all of which involve large mammals - like deer. Collisions with large mammals have significant impacts on our biodiversity affecting wildlife populations, as well as economic impacts costing the province and insurance companies tens of millions of dollars a year and of course, collisions also result in preventable injuries and deaths to humans. However, the numbers of actual wildlife road strikes are grossly underestimated, because people do not tend to report collisions with the numerous smaller animals. Turtles, raccoons, porcupines, amphibian, birds and other small mammals are also hit! All incidents have similar implications for wildlife populations, and for human health and safety.

In the Land Between the risk of such wildlife collisions is high as the landscape is primarily natural and is a vital and final stronghold for many of our wildlife species in the southern half of the province.  In fact, The Land Between is home to 59 species that are already in jeopardy of reaching extinction, some of which are slow moving reptiles, such as blanding's, snapping and painted turtles, or even snakes - and these animals are needlessly placed at further risk because of road strikes.

So when you arrive in Cottage Country (The Land Between), drive aware with a soft gaze far ahead to be alerted to the presence of wildlife.

Other tips include:

• Where there are wetlands or low areas that are adjacent to the road, in summer months, be alert for crossing turtles, and at all times, river otters, beavers and muskrats.
• If there are large forested tracts on either side of the road, watch for deer.
• Porcupines and raccoons  are slow moving creatures that walk about at night.
• Moose and bear are rarely on roads and perhaps will be on the pavement if their forested haunts have been disturbed from development, dogs, or excessive noise and people.
• At all times driving the speed limit with a far vantage point, will ensure you can react in time to avoid collisions with innocent animals.
• When spotting wildlife you can flash high-beams to alert oncoming traffic, put on hazard signals to alert traffic behind. When the animal is a slow moving one, such as turtle, that takes about 60 years to be replaced in nature, the use of hand signals may be helpful.
• Also, if you are going to stop and help wildlife, such as turtles, be sure to provide other drivers with advanced warnings as protecting human life is paramount. (To find out more about safely helping turtles to cross roads visit our Turtle Guardians website)