
Watching Wildlife On The Road: Colorado’s Top Roadkill Animals
Which type of wildlife do you think is the #1 roadkill in the state of Colorado? What about in Mesa County? Colorado Parks and Wildlife reports that more than 3,300 animals are hit by cars in the Centennial State every year.
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Keep reading to see which animals make up Colorado's top three roadkills, and the eight highways rated "high risk" for animal encounters.

3 Most Common Animals Hit By Vehicles in Colorado
So what animals did you guess are the top roadkills in Colorado each year? Almost everyone has a different top 3. We will bow to the data from the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado Parks and Wildlife which says Deer, Elk, and Raccoons are the top road kill in the state. Did you guess all three?
Deer is by far the most common type of roadkill reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife each year. I can't believe skunks are not on top of the list. I see them all the time!
Highways with Frequent Animal Activity
Colorado’s high-risk highways where animal strikes are frequently reported include: Interstate 70 (Floyd Hill, Mt. Vernon Canyon, and Eagle), US 285 (Morrison), Highway 160 (From Durango to Pagosa Springs, and between Durango and Mancos), Highway 550 (North of Durango/ and Montrose to Ouray), Interstate 25 (Between Castle Rock and Larkspur), Highway 82 (From Glenwood Springs to Aspen), Highway 36 (between Boulder and Lyons), and Highway 93 (between Golden and Boulder).
Read More: Look: This Is Colorado's Oldest Highway in Mesa County
Roadkill Season in Colorado
Deer, Mule Deer, and Elk are most active in Colorado from July through September. These months often include the most reports of animal strikes to CDOT and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The most recent data regarding animal crashes in Colorado comes from CDOT for the year 2023:
In 2023, Mesa County, Colorado reported 1,013 animal crashes with 112 vehicle occupants injured as a result of those crashes. 1 person died. 86% of crashes involved deer, 6% involved elk, and .6% involved coyotes.
In 2023, Delta County, Colorado reported 698 animal crashes with 61 vehicle occupants injured as a result of those crashes. There were 2 fatalities that year. 93% of crashes involved deer, 2.75% involved elk, and .14% of crashes in Delta County involved a bird.
In 2023, Montrose County, Colorado reported 1,027 animal crashes with 55 vehicle occupants injured. There were no fatalities that year. 95% of crashes involved deer. 2% involved elk.
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