Using Crowds, and GPS, to Chart Roadkill

The New York Times reports on fanatical roadkill trackers:

"While Mr. Ringen's friends goad him with nicknames like

Doctor Roadkill," he is not alone in his peculiar pursuit. Hundreds of volunteers collect and upload roadkill data to the California Roadkill Observation System, a mapping Web site built by researchers at the University of California, Davis, to better understand where and why cars strike animals.

The roadkill maps give researchers a better understanding of the environmental impacts of roads."

Researchers pour this information into GIS models to find locations where animals cross most frequently and recommend that safety measures be taken to protect them at those locations.

Thanks to Andrew Watanabe