Driver kills fox cubs and simply drives away

Two fox cubs killed by a car near Beringen SH: hit-and-run after wildlife accident. Here's how to act correctly.

Editorial team Wild beim Wild — 29 April 2016

On Thursday evening (28.04.2016), an unknown driver fatally struck two fox cubs with his car on the H13 near Beringen SH and subsequently left the scene of the accident in breach of his legal duty.

Every spring, the number of wildlife accidents is above average. Foxes, wild boar and especially roe deer often dart onto roads without warning and collide with vehicles. Police are therefore urging road users to exercise increased caution and explain what to do following a wildlife accident.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m., a female driver reported to the Schaffhausen Police operations and traffic control center that a car driving ahead of her on the H13 near Beringen had collided with two fox cubs. The unknown driver of the vehicle then unlawfully left the scene of the accident. The wildlife warden who was called out could subsequently only confirm the death of the two fox cubs.

Spring in the animal world is associated with the transition from low-nutrient to nutrient-rich food, as well as with the birth and rearing of young animals. This includes seeking out new foraging grounds (in hobby hunters' parlance, “foraging” refers to the food of wild animals) during dusk and night-time hours. Favored foraging grounds are lush meadows near forests that provide cover. It is therefore roads along forest and field edges in particular that rank among the most dangerous zones for wildlife accidents.

In addition, female roe deer will be dropping their fawns over the coming weeks, predominantly in the tall hay meadows that are now developing. For this reason, an increased presence of crossing roe deer is also to be expected, as the doe is compelled to return to the dropping area to nurse her fawns.

In May, roe bucks are marking out their territories, and in this context it is entirely possible that a displaced roe buck may unexpectedly leap onto a road and fall victim to a wildlife accident. For these reasons, it is important to adjust speed and be prepared to brake in areas where accidents are more likely to occur.

If a wildlife accident occurs nonetheless, it is mandatory to notify the police, as it constitutes a traffic accident and must be reported by law. The police will contact the responsible game warden, who issues the affected motorist with a wildlife accident damage form as confirmation for the insurance company.

The Schaffhausen police recommend the following procedure after a wildlife accident:

Stop the vehicle and turn on the hazard lights.
Put on a high-visibility vest and secure the accident scene (warning triangle).
Notify the police via the emergency number 117; they will dispatch the responsible game warden.
Keep your distance from the injured wild animal, as it is under stress and may become dangerous.
Wait until the game warden arrives.

Note

In the event of any wildlife accident, even if the animal appears uninjured or has run away, the police or a game warden must be notified immediately as required by law. Hitting a wild animal is not a criminal offence. However, anyone who fails to report it is committing an offence!

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