2019-03-12 P&E Agenda - Item 5 - Attachment 2 - Koala Infrastructure & Feasibility Report

3.1.5.          Wildlife Warning Reflectors
Wildlife warning reflectors, manufactured and distributed under the brands Swareflex (Austria) and Strieter-
Lite (USA), were designed to scare ungulates from roadways at night by reflecting light from the headlights
of approaching vehicles into the eyes of animals on the roadside. These reflectors have been popular in
Europe and North America and there has been interest in investigating their application in Australia (Ramp
& Croft 2006). The ability of wildlife warning reflectors to elicit a response relies on the extent of the visual
field of the target fauna species (Ramp & Croft 2006). An understanding of the colour spectrum visible to the
species is required to ensure that the reflected light can be seen.

Efficacy
Two studies in the early 1990s reported positive results from trials on the Proserpine rock wallaby in
Queensland and along State Highway 18 in New South Wales (Ramp & Croft 2006). However, the Brieger et
al. (2016) systematic literature review (53 references) and re-analyses of the original animal-vehicle collision
data indicated that light-reflecting devices did not significantly reduce the number of animal-vehicle
collisions.

Ramp and Croft (2006) examined under controlled captive conditions the behavioural responses of two
representative species of macropodids to light from headlights with and without the addition of wildlife
warning reflectors. The study investigated whether the reflected light evoked a sufficient alerting or evading
behavioural response in the macropodids that would result in fewer collisions with vehicles and failed to
record such a response.

3.2.            Soft Infrastructure – Modifying Motorist Behaviour
High-speed traffic is considered a major cause of wildlife–vehicle collisions (Glista et al. 2009). Slowing traffic
speed and increased driver awareness may assist in mitigating the effect of roads by reducing the potential
for vehicle-wildlife collisions. Measures aimed at modifying driver behaviour to travel at slower speeds and
actively look for wildlife to avoid potential collisions, and increasing visibility of roadside or on-road fauna
can include speed reduction measures, speed limit enforcement, lighting, signs, road reserve management
and road threshold treatments. These measures are commonly employed as they do not involve construction
of large or complex structures, are relatively inexpensive and often complement other management
objectives. Development of effective low-cost mitigation methods would allow wider application and
promote safer motorist behaviour.

3.2.1.          Wildlife and Speed Signs
Wildlife warning signs are aimed at improving safety by reducing the incidence of wildlife–vehicle collisions
and injuries and fatalities to wildlife and drivers. Signs are the most commonly used and widespread form of
road mitigation and are likely to continue to be the most commonly implemented mitigation measure of
wildlife–vehicle collisions due to their relatively low cost (Huijser et al. 2009; Bond & Jones 2013).

The most commonly used wildlife warning sign in Australia is a black animal silhouette on a reflective yellow
diamond (Bond & Jones 2013). In Queensland, hazardous wildlife signs are used to warn road users of the
unexpected presence of wild animals on the road. The signs are only for animals large enough to potentially
cause human injury and/or vehicle damage, there are no symbolic warning signs for small animals as it is
believed that ‘the efficacy of warning signs to protect small animals that may wander onto the road is at least
doubtful’ (Department of Transport and Main Roads 2014).

Efficacy
A roadside traffic sign does not control the actions of a driver but aims to influence driver behaviour to
precipitate a desired response (Burbridge et al. 2010). Evidence of the effectiveness of wildlife warning signs

Koala Infrastructure Audit & Feasibility Report                                                             Page 14

Noosa Council
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