With the beauty of autumn also comes an increase of animal traffic on Saskatchewan’s roadways.

Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation Todd Smith explains that at this time of year, wildlife, especially ungulates, have breeding on the brain. This means they are less wary and more active than normal, traversing Saskatchewan in search of a mate.

Because of this, Smith advises motorists to slow down, scan the ditches, and ‘give wildlife a brake.’

“In 2024, from SGI’s database, we’re looking at 9053 wildlife-related collisions for the year,” he explains. Four of them were fatal, resulting in five deaths.

Other tips include avoiding driving at dawn and dusk, which are peak times for animal activity, and if you see one cross, chances are high that there will be more to follow. If you do happen to hit an animal, call a conservation officer to help address the situation.