Does Roadkill Make You Sad?

[Brandi]

I voted ,"depends on what kind of animal". But the truth is I don't feel sad if it is old and you can't figure out what it was. I get very sad though. I see alot of fox, deer, skunk, coyote, and other small animals. I can't ever get over how they die It is so sad that they get taken out the way they do. But then being eaten by a predator would be just as bad. I don't know? It is all sad!

[emily_in_nc]

Roadkill always makes me very sad, sometimes to the point of tears.

One of my saddest moments was killing a very large turtle whom I didn't see at all. I was in a huge line of traffic moving slowly, bumper to bumper, going home from work. This huge turtle, I hate to imagine how old, picked then to cross this very busy road. Because the cars were so close together, I couldn't see him come out from under the car in front of me in time to stop. I was devastated when I heard the crunch of the shell and realized what I'd hit. I walked in the house just bawling and wasn't myself for several days.

Since then I've made it a personal obligation to save every single turtle I see; I stop every single time, whether on bike or in a car, to help them across the road. Just did it today, in fact! I guess if I save enough, I'll forgive myself for the one I crushed. I still hate to think about it.

Emily

[DebW]

I've read that populations of ravens and other scavengers have increased in some areas due to roadkill. Cars kill, but they don't eat, so extra food just lying there for something to consume.

[Kitsune06]

For me, it depends.
It's hard for me to feel too bad about rodents or wildlife in general (seen too much) but puppies and cats really get to me. Especially ones who were pets, and you know their owners are probably worried sick about them b/c they're missing.

I guess I was just one of those farm kids... with 3 cats and 2 dogs... (and one or three of everything else!)

[Aggie_Ama]

Nanci- I didn't take offense. I reread my post and realized my husband is much more sensitive than I described.

I think Sue is right, he doesn't like it but must explain it to himself. Saying it's nature is how he does that. I think it is the nature these animals now live in. Very sad but they are learning to eat our plants instead of native vegetation and some are quite good at avoiding our cars.

Growing up in Texas I think I am desensitized (sp?) to dead armadillos, skunks and raccoons. Those don't bother me. I am glad I am not crazy for being sad!

[horsemom]

Ohmygosh, I get sad about roadkill too! I never realized how much there was until I started biking! My husband is a veterinarian and we do wildlife rehab, and I think of all the critters we have raised and then to see the same species splattered in the road just kills me. I have gotten up at night to feed baby squirrels and now they are all over the road!

Laura

[Dianyla]

Well I guess it's confirmed, I'm pretty callous.

I rarely get upset by roadkill. In our modernized countries there are so few large natural predators (wolves, bears, big cats, etc) and essentially cars have replaced them in the scheme of things. Everything dies, eventually.

About the only time I can recall being upset was when I rode by a mama duck that had gotten run over. Next to her was a baby duckling that appeared to have starved to death while holding vigil.

[margo49]

It makes me sad too. I think that when you aare biking you pay more attention to *everything* .
And *everything* affects you more when you are in the headspace you get into after the first few km of the ride.
I saw 2 dead kingfishers (my favourite bird) on Saturday .
I also think that one about G-d and the sparrows

[Trek420]

I get very sad.

I don't take the line that cars are performing a valuable function of predators. Animals that prey on other species benefit the species they kill by weeding out the sick, the lame.

Cars kill 'em all.

Even skunks make me a little sad