With plenty of grass to eat and a lack of predators, urban centres for certain animals like jackrabbits and gophers can be considered paradise. Except when it comes to traffic.
Over spring, city workers get about five calls a day about roadkill in the city.
“After the spring melt, it’s normal to see dead animals around Regina,” said the city’s parks and open spaces acting director Sean Raison.
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Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) stats show that in 2006, over 16,000 wildlife collisions were reported in the province.
“I jump in my car, I’m five minutes from the number 11 highway and drive down the highway, and within five minutes I have a piece of roadkill, because it’s very active roadkill zone,” self-proclaimed roadkill specialist Gerry Armsworthy said.
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In the winter, when the 79-year-old Armsworthy sees any animal with good fur, he’ll pull over to pick it up and uses it to make hats.
Armsworthy has been re-purposing roadkill for over 20 years. He has come across so much that he now has more pelts than he has use for.
“I haven’t picked anything up for years now, because I don’t need anything. You can see by my room, I got stuff I haven’t used and I don’t think I’ll be using it for a long time,” Armsworthy said.
The city urges anyone who sees roadkill to give them a call, and Armsworthy agrees.
“On the number 11 highway… You got to be careful certain times of the day, don’t go out there and try to pick up roadkill, because you’ll get run over.”
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