The Hong Kong newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis), which has an orange-spotted belly and is typically 15 centimeters in length, is Hong Kong’s only native salamander species. The newt, listed as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and is protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170).

These newts migrate from streams to riparian forests in early spring each year after the breeding season. Where the migration route crosses rural roads, the newts are frequent victims of vehicles.

The study, led by Lingnan University’s Science Unit, involved training 20 members of the public to participate in the research and, from March to May 2024, this team conducted the Hong Kong Newt Roadkill Survey Program weekly, carrying out transect surveys at four roadkill hotspots—Kowloon Peak, Mui Tsz Lam, Chuen Lung, and Pak Ngau Shek—to assess the scale and peak periods of newt roadkill.

Over the study period, the team recorded more than 1,500 animal carcasses, including more than 100 frog, snake, and lizard carcasses as well as other animals, although the 1,427 newt carcasses accounted for more than 90% of fatalities.

The survey also showed that roadkill records are not randomly distributed, but concentrated in specific sections of the roads. The most severe roadkill is at Kowloon Peak, where 870 dead newts were recorded on a 1.3-kilometer transect, representing 60% of the total. The newts were not only killed at the onset of migration, however. There were also multiple peaks throughout the survey period, as often up to a hundred newt carcasses were recorded in Kowloon Peak after heavy rain.

Prof Anthony Lau, Assistant Professor of the Science Unit at Lingnan University, said “Hong Kong’s subtropical climate, characterized by rainy, humid, and warm conditions, makes amphibians more active, which greatly increases the probability of roadkill. Our study shows that a tremendous number of Hong Kong newts are killed on roads annually.

“As a near-threatened species and an important representative of our natural heritage, we hope that relevant governmental departments will conduct comprehensive studies and develop conservation measures to reduce the threat to Hong Kong newt populations and save lives at these roadkill hotspots.”

This program was sponsored by a crowdfunding project “Life (cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt.” Fung Hon-shing, a representative of the sponsoring organization and Hong Kong-based wildlife documentary producer, pointed out, “The issue of roadkill has long been overlooked by our society. In the past, we all saw Hong Kong newts lying lifeless in large numbers at roadkill hotspots, yet there has never been a systematic scientific investigation into this phenomenon, making it difficult to take conservation action.

“The findings of this study provide strong evidence for the public and relevant authorities, and we hope that the importance of the issue will be recognized. We urge the public to avoid driving through roadkill hotspots during the Hong Kong newts’ migration season, and hope that the authorities can implement mitigation measures promptly.”

The research team recommends that the government refer to common mitigation measures in other regions to protect wildlife, including the installation of warning signs and eco-friendly road construction such as drift fences and tunnels at roadkill sites. For example, the installation of wildlife passages in Sweden reduced the numbers of great crested newts run more than by 85% to 100%.

The Lingnan team suggests similar passages be designed based on animal behavior, and tested for effectiveness before installation, and recommends that the government examine existing roadkill research and initiate preliminary studies locally.

Since building these passages takes time, the research team also encourages temporary measures as a first step to reducing road mortality, for instance, short-term traffic detours or road closures during predicted roadkill peaks where there is the most roadkill, such as Fei Ngo Shan Road.

Temporary drift fences could be set up at hotspots such as Chuen Lung and Pak Ngau Shek to prevent newts from being killed and allow permitted personnel to help them across the road, balancing conservation and development.

The Lingnan research team is continuing to investigate the entire spring migration period and the seldom-studied autumn migration period of the Hong Kong newt in order to understand roadkill patterns, and also considering future research on whether weather conditions are associated with the timing of roadkill peaks, which might facilitate effective mitigation strategies for this near-threatened species.