Campaigning continues to help reduce number of New Forest animal accidents

This is an update on animal accidents in the New Forest from Gilly Jones, who is chair of the Animal Accidents Reduction Group and who leads the New Forest Roads Awareness campaign over social media.

The report was first published in the New Forest CDA annual report for 2025.

We are hoping that all commoners will be thankful that the livestock deaths are again coming down. The year 2024 saw the lowest numbers of livestock fatalities in history. The start of 2025 hasn’t been too good, so we all need to up our game.

Commoners had 37 animals killed on the roads in 2024, down from 42 in 2023.  If we go back to 2014, 68 animals died.

There are many reasons for this, including Operation Mountie, a multi-agency working group which includes commoners, Forestry England and National Park rangers, NFDC staff and obviously Hampshire Police do an anti-speeding session once a month. We also do extra Operations as and when collisions happen.

There is also a huge amount of work done by commoners, CDA and the Young Commoners on social media.

Out of the 22 pony deaths in 2024, only three had collars on. We have no way of knowing how many livestock lives have been saved by animals that have been fitted with them, but the numbers will be huge.

The after effects of an animal accident in the New Forest

Dartmoor is now following the New Forest and fitting its livestock with them. There is work going on to find ones suitable for donkeys. I know some commoners think the collars are dangerous, but I hope that they will rethink it.

Please lead by example and drive with care around the Forest and when dealing with the livestock. Everyone has a video camera on their phone and we are under a huge amount of scrutiny.

Speed is not always the reason for a collision, and again we are working on your behalf to educate drivers. All our social media pages are slowly turning the tide and getting the public to know, like and trust commoners.

We have worked with Hampshire Police to make sure all call centre staff are fully trained in how to deal with a livestock collision call.

I am hoping that 2025 will get better, and I will carry on working as hard as I can to reduce the number of collisions.