Listen
Free

Podcast: Tasmania is the roadkill capital of the world

Laura Carolina Corrigan
Tom Melville
Updated June 21 2022 - 9:07am, first published June 15 2022 - 12:00am

Tasmania has earned a reputation as the roadkill capital of Australia.

The stats say 32 animals are killed every hour - that's more than 500,000 marsupials, reptiles and birds killed on the state's roads every single year.

Wildlife rescuer Rowan Wigmore says roadkill should be moved 20 metres from the road to stop scavengers getting hit too. Photo: Paul Scambler
Wildlife rescuer Rowan Wigmore says roadkill should be moved 20 metres from the road to stop scavengers getting hit too. Photo: Paul Scambler

And this is despite Tasmania being an island that's known for its unique biodiversity and world heritage wilderness.

You could argue that there're more animals here so there's going to be more dead ones.

We look at it as a whole and say, Oh, well, look, it's just a few being killed on the roads, so you know, it's not going to impact the entire species, and I'm calling bollocks to that, I really am."

- Greg Irons, director of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania.

But when you look closer you see holes in animal protection policy that leaves even threatened species exposed.

Do you have a story to share? Get in touch: voice@austcommunitymedia.com.au

Laura Carolina Corrigan

Canberra Times producer with a background in news and podcasts.

Tom Melville

Tom Melville

Host, Voice of Real Australia

Originally from Canberra, Tom Melville worked for the BBC in the UK and as a freelancer in Tunisia before coming to ACM. He is the host of ACM's national podcast Voice of Real Australia. urlgeni.us/VORAPod

More from Listen