Way back in 1930, Salvador Dali started the famous sketch of anteaters. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, the BR-262 highway bisected the animal’s sole living place. Different environmentalists have criticized the road in different periods as the highway goes through two ecosystems, the Pantanal and the Cerrado. The two ecosystems are essential for the planet as Pantanal is the most significant tropical wetland on the earth, while Cerrado is a savanna that captures around 20% of the South American country Brazil. As the highway is full of transporting vehicles, the animal species living there stands no chance.
The Deadliest Highway in Brazil
Researchers termed the highway as the deadliest highway in Brazil, and one of the worst highways in the world. Many cases of anteater killing have been reported on the BR-262 highway. Recently, a project called Projeto Bandeiras e Rodovias launched to examine how the highway affects the anteaters.
The report stressed the number of animals killed on the highway daily. Though roads are the primary medium of communication for human beings across the world, it does not carry the same benefits for the animal groups. Millions of animals and birds killed, owing to the road accident every year. Recently the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States termed roads as the biggest threat to habitats across the world. A country like Brazil, having the fourth most extensive road network in the world, is suffering from the loss of its biodiversity, owing to the road network. According to an estimate, around half a billion wild populations killed in Brazil after the inauguration of the infamous highway. Recently, a research group stated that the highway is threatening the people of furred monkey, golden lion tamarin, and wolf.
Roadkills should no longer be treated as a sacrifice for the development, and scientists are claiming it to treat as an environmental disaster.
