The Surprising Science Behind Why Daylight Saving Time Is Good for Wildlife
You may have a love-hate relationship with Daylight Saving Time, but research shows urban wildlife may benefit
Ben Wehrman via Getty Images
Most people in America have a love-hate relationship with the switch to Daylight Savings Time (DST). On the one hand, we lose an hour of sleep, which can disrupt circadian rhythms, making us feel lethargic and potentially even leading to serious health problems. On the other hand, however, it also means longer, sunny evenings and more daylight hours for outdoor activities. But what about other animals? Surprisingly, science suggests that DST may be good for creatures that encounter humans — and in particular, that may encounter our cars.
In the US alone, drivers may collide with deer more than one million times a year Estimate Compiled by the Federal Highway Administration, and other large animals – commonly moose, elk and other ungulates – are also often affected. These accidents often kill animals and cause the deaths of hundreds of humans.
Tom Langen, a biology professor at Clarkson University who studies animal-vehicle collisions, explains that the risk of animals being on the road depends on many factors, including how many vehicles are on the road, how many animals there are, and the behavior of the animals and human drivers. can do dst reduce these conflictsHowever.
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Human-animal accidents usually occur on Fridays as people are leaving town for the weekend; Under the full moon because deer are more likely to roam; During the fall deer mating season in North America; And at dusk.
“Animals become active at dusk and start moving around, including crossing roads or walking and grazing on roads, and that’s when they get hit by vehicles,” Langan says.
Setting the clocks back in the fall – increasing commute times on peak evenings closer to dusk or after the sun goes down – also increases the chance of cars colliding with animals. one in 2021 analysis In more than 35,000 deer-vehicle collisions in New York State, Langen and a co-author concluded that the return from DST to standard time contributed “very much” to the crash rate, with the largest increase occurring on weekdays.
one 2022 Study Researchers at the University of Washington concluded that permanently switching to DST could save approximately 33 human lives per year, prevent approximately 36,000 deer deaths from car crashes and reduce some of the $1 billion costs associated with these collisions. Such costs include property damage and medical expenses.
“We were surprised to find that the increase in collisions after dark in the evening during standard time is not offset by reduced collisions in the morning,” says Laura Prugh, senior author of the 2022 paper and professor of quantitative wildlife science at the University of Washington.
In fact, the deer collision rate was 14 times higher just after dark than just before sunset — resulting in a “net increase” in deer collisions during the standard time months, she says.
Setting the clocks ahead in the spring means morning commutes will be darker, but won’t pose much of a risk to deer and other hoofed creatures. Langan says that’s partly because deer are less active in the spring. But this is also because evening journeys will mostly take place before dusk.
In other words, from a human perspective, daylight savings is a success or a failure, depending on who you ask. (And polling indicates that there are opinions on miscellaneous.) But for animals like deer, switching to permanent daylight saving time in North America would almost certainly reduce road deaths, Langan says.
And it’s not just deer and ungulates that are at risk — other mammals, including raccoons, skunks and foxes, are also active at dusk, Langan says. In Australia, research shows that koalas are also benefits may be seen For permanent DST change.
Ultimately, Langen advises drivers to stay safe by being aware of peak collision times throughout the year and keeping in mind that animals often cross the road in groups. Being alert closer to dusk is also a good practice, says Prugh.
“It’s important for drivers to know that encounters with animals can happen at any time, but there are certain times when you’re especially at risk,” Langan says.
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