Road Signs Protecting Squirrels, Otters from Car Crashes Stolen in Scotland

Road signs in Scotland that are meant to alert drivers to the presence of squirrels and otters and help prevent car crashes involving wildlife have been taken.

The signs were put up as a result of a campaign by Ullapool Sea Savers, a youth-focused conservation organization in Scotland.

A large number of otters and squirrels killed on local roads had alarmed the members of the group.

Stolen Road Signs in Scotland

Following recent fundraising efforts, the group claimed to have paid for three of the four signs.

According to a representative for Ullapool Sea Savers, signs indicating the North Coast 500, a Ullapool scenic route, as well as signs with local place names, have also been disappearing.

The group had to obtain the required approvals from officials and private landowners to have the signs installed at the roadside, in addition to raising the necessary funds to procure them.

The spokesman claimed that since their road signs were put up, we have seen less dead wildlife.

In an effort to persuade people to disregard the signs, they made the decision to emphasize that they were supported by a children's charity.

Hugh Harrop, a Shetland wildlife photographer, was one of those who learned about the thefts and launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for new signs. Nearly £2,000 has already been raised by Harrop.

Avoiding Animal Car Crashes

There are multiple ways to prevent animal-related car accidents, according to The RAC. It entails keeping a safe distance from everything on the road, using lights at night, obeying speed limits, and keeping an eye out for and paying attention to traffic signs.

Cattle, deer, and horse images are used on road signs to alert drivers to the possibility of coming across such animals on the road. The RAC advises always keeping an eye out for the warning signs.

Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels said in an article published in 2015 that Road signs could be a helpful tool for alerting people to the presence of red squirrels and raising awareness of the issue. They claimed that as soon as the signs were put up, the number of red squirrels killed there sharply decreased. There were still red squirrels around, so perhaps enough people were aware of them and chose to mind the road for possible crossings of red squirrels.

About 15 years ago, red squirrels were once again introduced to the Ullapool area as part of a conservation project, BBC reports.

Reporting Animal Car Crashes

The RAC advises turning on hazard lights and stopping as soon as it is safe to do so. If a driver hits either a dog, horse, cattle, pig, goat, sheep, donkey, or mule, it is their obligation to report it to the police.

If there are injured animals on the road, the best move is to watch the animal from a safe distance. Think carefully before approaching injured animals because they may become aggressive if they are hurt or scared.