So many animals were hit by vehicles on Mallorca's roads in 2025.

More dead animals on the roadside: Why this year there are unusually many accidents

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I went last weekend along the rural road toward Sineu and once again saw a sad scene: a hedgehog, small and curled up at the roadside, headlights still in the rear-view mirror. Such images have become everyday here—and the numbers confirm the feeling.

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The Observatori d’Atropellaments de Fauna a les Illes Balears (OAFIB), coordinated by the Universitat de les Illes Balears and the Biodibal biodiversity center, registered for January to September this year 1,496 reported wildlife accidents on the Balearic Islands. That is a noticeable increase compared to the previous year.

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Mallorca is especially affected

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In September there were a total of 171 cases reported—and 136 of them occurred on Mallorca. Ibiza recorded 20, Menorca 14, Formentera a single case. Most commonly hit: the hedgehog (76 reports), the stone marten (19) and the rabbit (12). But the spectrum is broad: over the years the project has recorded 118 species.

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The accident hotspots are not surprising: the highway toward Manacor, the Palma–Sa Pobla route and the connecting roads around Sineu. Those traveling there in the evening know how quickly an animal can cross the road unexpectedly.

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More reports – more insights

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An important point: the researchers say a portion of the rise is because more people report observations. Volunteers, walkers, farmers and commuters send tips — thereby making the recording more reliable. Still, the number remains alarming.

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Since record-keeping began in 2004, OAFIB has documented around 5,242 run-overs. The figures show how much roads cut through the habitat of many animals.

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A look across the border

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The problem is not only local: in Germany, insurers regulated in 2024 around 276,000 wildlife accidents with total damage of over 1.1 billion euros — roughly 4,100 euros damage per case. On Mallorca the economic damage is usually smaller, but the consequences for biodiversity are real.

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What helps? More attention when driving, especially at dusk and in fog. If you see something: report it. And in the long term there is a need for measures such as better signage, speed adjustments at known danger points, or animal overpasses and underpasses — yes, that costs, but it saves lives.

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I will drive slower next time when the road near Sineu becomes tight. And if you notice something at the roadside: report it to OAFIB. Small effort, big impact – at least for the next animal that still has to cross the road.