Seasonal effects on roadkill of wild vertebrates in a stretch of a brazilian northeast federal highway

In Brazil, roadkill of wild animals represents an important part of the local biodiversity loss. Even so, studies focused on road ecology are still very scarce for many regions of the country. The present study aimed to monitor the mortality of wild vertebrates on the Federal Highway BR-235, in Sergipe (Brazil), and analyze possible seasonal variations in roadkill rates. Between August 2020 and July 2021, two samples were taken per month in a stretch of 20 km of the BR-235, traveled by motorcycle at a speed of 40 to 50 km/h. Seventy-five individuals of 30 vertebrate species were recorded. The roadkill rate was 0.156 individuals per kilometer covered. The most recorded classes were birds with 29 individuals (13 spp.) and mammals with 23 individuals (10 spp.). The species with the highest number of records was Rhinella sp. with 16 records (21.6%), Coragyps atratus with eight records (10.8%) and Didelphis albiventris with seven records (9.4%). Among the species recorded, two are threatened with extinction ( Leopardus tigrinus and Puma yagouaroundi ). A greater number of roadkill was registered in the rainy season. The results reveal this stretch of BR-235 as a source of continuous mortality for the region's fauna.