Elk calves, deer, and smaller creatures such as hedgehogs, rabbits and even frogs, can often be seen crossing Estonia's highways and byways, the Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) notes.

The authority last week began a night-time wildlife warning campaign that will continue until Midsummer, utilizing variable message signs on roads.

Drivers should be especially vigilant in areas marked with a "Metsloomad teel" ("Wild Animals on Road") sign, which are placed at high frequency crossings.

Caution is also advised near any forested areas, and also fields, especially in the hours around dawn and dusk, when animals are naturally more active.

Villu Lükk, head of the administration's environmental management department, has urged drivers to take the warnings on variable message signs and speed limits seriously.

"None of us wants to be involved in an accident or cause injury to a wild animal. Therefore as drivers, we must be particularly careful and attentive to animals approaching the road."

Across Estonia, fenced road sections have been equipped with animal crossing points, also marked with warning signs.

For instance at the four-lane Kose-Võõbu section of highway, which crosses Harju and Järva county lines, a substantial animal detection system alerts drivers to the presence of wildlife.

Wildlife can cross the road at three ground-level crossing points, where special sensors register their approach. This information is then transmitted to the variable message signs, which can operationally limit vehicle speeds in turn.

"Fortunately, drivers generally follow the signs and reduce their speed, otherwise, the consequences could be tragic. It's also important to remember that other animals may follow the first to actually cross the highway," Lükk added.

The national information phone line 1247 records the deaths of nearly six thousand animals per year, with the majority of smaller animal-related accidents likely going unregistered.

These accidents also result in approximately 20 to 30 human injuries each year.

The problem has been on the up in recent years, as more vehicles are on Estonian roads, while populations of some larger species have also grown, in part due to the milder winters.

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