WILDLIFE ROADKILL IN THE SURROUNDINGS OF EMAS NATIONAL PARK, CERRADO BIOME, BRAZIL

Roadkill is a serious threat to biodiversity conservation especially when roads are near natural habitats of wildlife, such as the Emas National Park (ENP), Protected Area in Mid-west Brazil Cerrado Biome. We aimed identify species killed on stretch GO-341 highway that tangent ENP. investigated if roadkills were influenced by seasonality, sugar cane harvest and activity pattern animals (diurnal/nocturnal). also analyzed aggregated space, where roadkill hotspots located, they different for most abundant species. The was monitored with vehicle, morning, at speed 40 60 km/hour, daily, two observers. covered total 4,230 km during 90-day monitoring period, which included dry rainy seasons. recorded 132 wild animals’ roadkills: 67 birds (51 %), mammals (45 %) 5 reptiles (4 %). identified 22 vertebrate species, including 13 birds, six three reptiles. rate 0.03 animals/km/day. During season, blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) had higher rates. crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) only rates sugarcane harvest. Most diurnal habits, mammals, no difference observed concerning pattern. Bird considering entire data set, well seasons separately. Mammal set. location bird differed between hotspot highly overlapped those these taxa, respectively, Ara ararauna Euphractus sexcinctus.