The Killing Field

This is the award-winning image that inspired photographer Doug Gimesy to dedicate his craft to highlighting the problem of wildlife road trauma. Doug took this photo just a few hundred metres from Kangaroo Island’s largest national park, where speed limits increase to 110km/h and ‘the killing field’ begins – nearly 100km of road that passes through dense kangaroo habitat.

A helping hand

Pygmy possum photographed on Kangaroo Island.

The twilight zone

The hours from dusk to dawn are particularly dangerous for wildlife on the roads of Kangaroo Island. As part of his activism, Doug has started a petition urging the South Australian government to reduce speed limits on the island from 110km/h to 80km/h at this time.

Temporary accommodation

The Kangaroo Island kangaroo is a subspecies of the western grey kangaroo found only on Kangaroo Island. Being the slowest moving kangaroo species, they are very vulnerable to road trauma, says Doug, who photographed this joey being cared for in a temporary pouch after being orphaned as a result of car strike on Kangaroo Island.

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Endangered Kangaroo Island echidna

A major threat to the Kangaroo Island echidna is motor vehicle collisions.

Jump for your life

Exact figures on how many kangaroos are killed or injured on roads are hard to find, because official traffic accident data parameters are very narrow. In South Australia, for example, figures include only accidents reported to the police that involve property damage of more than $5000.

Loving care

Sometimes joeys can be found still alive in their dead mother’s pouch after a car strike. If they’re lucky, they can be rescued and looked after by dedicated carers until they are well and old enough to be relocated.

Morning coffee

An orphaned koala joey is rehabilitated by Kate Welz, president of the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network (KIWN).

Happy in a new pouch

Whether shocking captures of dead or injured wildlife, or portraits of rescued joeys that hide a dark reality behind their cuteness – Doug says he hopes his photos will highlight the problem of the safety of our wildlife. 

Doug Gimesy is on Instagram and Facebook. You can sign his petition to reduce the dawn-dusk speed limit on Kangaroo Island here.

Read more about Doug’s photography and his wildlife activism in the May-June 2017 issue of Australian Geographic (AG#138).