Israel Plans to Harness the Power of Waze to Save Wildlife

Waze and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) have partnered in support of wildlife by using the Waze app's roadkill button to identify areas where animal deaths are occurring at higher rates. Sharon Udasin of The Jerusalem Post reports that the data collected will help to identify areas where wildlife are threatened by vehicles and give SPNI an opportunity to create solutions for their safe movement.

Shmulik Yidov, head of SPNI's Mammal Center, notes that in addition to reducing the number of animal deaths, they are trying to solve the problems created by roadways that fragment animal populations, "creating demographic and genetic diversity problems in the long-term."

With the data generated, the organization will be creating a "Red Road Atlas for Wildlife" and taking action to regulate safe crosswalks for animals. Through both observation and the use of surveillance cameras in problematic areas, SPNI representatives said they hope to deepen their understanding as to why these animals are being run over and what steps can be taken to minimize the number of deaths.