Over six million animals die annually on Finnish roads

More than six million animals are killed each year in Finland’s road traffic, with birds accounting for nearly two-thirds of the deaths, according to figures from the Finnish Transport Agency Traficom.

Small wildlife such as hares, badgers, and raccoon dogs are frequently struck by vehicles, particularly during early morning hours in summer when traffic intensifies. Ossi Riikonen, a traffic operator at Traficom’s road traffic centre, told Yle that drivers who hit an animal must stop, secure the scene, and remove the carcass from the roadway if safe to do so.

“If you collide with a small wild animal and it dies, you should pull over, warn other traffic, and move the carcass off the road if possible,” Riikonen said. On motorways, however, drivers should not stop but instead contact road maintenance services for assistance. Contractors regularly patrol roads to collect and dispose of animal remains, either through burial, waste management, or—on forested stretches—by leaving them in nature.

Efforts to reduce wildlife collisions include fencing, underpasses, and riverbank pathways near bridges to guide animals safely. Despite these measures, over 13,000 moose-vehicle accidents were recorded last year alone. Exact numbers for smaller species remain uncounted, though the total annual death toll exceeds six million, with four million being birds.