Research results and scientific and technical opinions
We invite you to read following passages of scientific opinions and research results of the UOZ-1 devices.
Technical opinions
Letter IK.A-072-26/10/AB/11 of 03/03/2011
Ph.D. eng. Andrzej Białoń,
Railway Traffic Control and Telematic Division, The Railway Institute
In response to your request regarding your position related to the connection of UOZ-1 devices with the signalling systems, the Railway Traffic Control and Telematic Division of the Railway Institute (Instytut Kolejnictwa) [...] informs that:
- the UOZ-1 devices collect information from the devices and signalling systems not disturbing their functioning,
- the interfaces used to collect the information by the UOZ-1 devices from the signalling devices and systems guarantee that there is no disturbance of any kind caused by the UOZ-1 devices on the signalling devices,
-the means of power supply of the UOZ-1 devices also does not have influence on the signalling devices functioning,
- the effectiveness of the UOZ-1 devices functioning was proven during the long-term application on railway lines,
- positive opinions about the effective animal protection when these devices were used in practise are crucial.
Taking into consideration the above we reckon that the animal protection devices of the UOZ-1 type can be used in a safe way on the railway lines.
Letter TTZ/611/39/MW/2011 of 21 March 2011
M.Sc. eng. Ryszard Nowicki
The Office of Rail Transportation, Department of Technical Permits and Interoperability
In response to the letter no NEEL/270/DP/2011 of 03/07/2011 we inform that in accordance with the delivered opinion of The Railway Institute in Warsaw no IK.A-072-26/10/AB/11 the UOZ-1 devices do not interfere and do not affect the operation of railway traffic control devices.
Scientific opinions
Opinion on the effectiveness of the animal deterring device UOZ-1
Assoc. Prof. Michał Wasilewski,
Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife management; Warsaw, 2014.
In 2007-2012 Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) conducted studies on the effectiveness of the animal deterring device UOZ-1 to protect animals in the vicinity of railway tracks on the E 20 railway line between Mińsk Mazowiecki and Siedlce. [...]
It was found that when UOZ-1 emitted warning signals the percentage of cases in which animals reacted to the passing train with escape was significantly higher compared to the situation with acoustic devices switched off [...]. At the same time it was found that with active UOZ-1 devices animals fled on average three times faster compared to a situation where acoustic devices were not working. [...]
The results of studies on the effectiveness of UOZ-1 animal deterring devices indicate that these devices greatly reduce the risk of animal-train collisions. [...]
It can be concluded that the method of acoustic protection of animals on the railway tracks using natural sounds existing in nature helps to maintain continuity of ecological corridors and migration routes of animals minimizing the risk of animal-train collisions. [...]
Opinion on the impact of wildlife warning reflectors and acoustic animal deterring devices UOZ on natural environment
Assoc. Prof. Michał Wasilewski, Prof. Joanna Werka, Prof. Henryk Tkacz
Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Protection and Ecology; Warsaw, 2009.
Two-year study (conducted by Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management of SGGW) on the effectiveness of UOZ devices on the E20 line Mińsk Mazowiecki – Siedlce (including over year-long 24 hour video registration with high resolution cameras), completed by the end of September allow to formulate the following statements:
1. animals have not abandoned their feeding and breeding areas;
2. animals often and willingly stay in the area between the tracks and the edge of the forest (no signs of discomfort in this environment);
3. the railway line with UOZ-1 devices remains “transparent” for migrating mammals, the increase of barrier effect is very small;
4. over 80% of all animal behaviour registrations during acoustic signals emission were consistent with predictions (lack of panic reaction of animals, calm moving few dozen meters away from the tracks or hiding in the forest and coming back after the passage of a train and the end of sound sequence emission) which confirms the lack of effect of habituation. It should be emphasized that the study began in the fifth year of operation of the devices on the E20 railway line and if animals were to be used to the sound signals such a phenomenon should have occurred long ago and be registered;
5. from the animal behaviour observations just after train passages it can be concluded that animals return to interrupted activities only 1-2 minutes after of the end of sound emission. They begin feeding or attempt to cross the tracks, and a several to a dozen minutes long break in the train traffic […] is sufficient to maintain the continuity of the ecological corridor or migratory route;
6. during the test period in the area of UOZ devices operation there was killed only one large animal. It was a doe chased by dogs (there is documentation of witnesses accounts). At the same time, in areas not covered by the UOZ devices operation there were killed 3 moose, 1 red deer, 4 roe deer, 4 dogs, 1 fox, 1 marten and 2 pheasants;
7. due to its high efficiency and virtually no increase in barrier effect, the acoustic method of animal protection seems to be the best option for lowland areas with poorly differentiated lay of the land, which eliminates the need for fencing railway lines and construction of special passages for animals. It should be treated as one of a number of technical means of high natural value (along with underpasses for animals and building the railway line on an overpass) which – if properly designed – would help to maintain the continuity of ecological corridors and migration routes, minimizing the risk of animal-train collisions (train traffic safety).
The video documentation from the study, located in the archives of the Faculty of Forestry of SGGW, Warsaw, consists of 892 animal behaviour registrations, which is a statistically reliable sample.
[…]
It is also important to clarify a few things, which can lead to false conclusions if misunderstood. There was an objection that UOZ device causes “noise pollution”. The sounds used are natural sounds that exist in nature and emitted with the natural volume (jay's beak, dog's muzzle, etc.) and therefore do not have any negative impact on the environment.
Abridged opinion on the impact of UOZ-1 animal deterring devices on birds
Dr. eng. Marek Keller
Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW); Warsaw, 2010 r.
In 2010 Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management conducted field studies to determine the potential risks for birds that may be associated with the use of UOZ-1 acoustic animal deterring devices on railway lines.
[…]
Observations carried out in the region of Kotuń and Mrozy showed that:
1. both, species composition and bird density indicators (indexes) do not show any correlation with the operation of UOZ-1 devices; both parameters showed a very high similarity between experimental and control sections;
2. there were observed no negative reactions of birds to the acoustic stimuli: birds either behaved completely neutral (no visible reaction) or – in the case of singing males – even tried to “outshout the rival” increasing the volume of singing for a few seconds. Besides the proven lack of response of passerine birds an important issue is not having found any “attracting” effect of emitted sounds on birds of prey. In the area of Broszkowskie Ponds there was a white-tailed eagle nest approximately 200 metres from the UOZ-1 devices. Throughout the observation period (IV-VII) there was no single observation of birds making interest in simulated voices of their potential victims. At any of the three studied areas there was no such effect observed on any of the common birds of prey (buzzard, goshawk, sparrow hawk) nesting nearby.
Opinion on the validity and effectiveness of using the UOZ-1 animal deterring devices
Prof. Grzegorz Jamrozy
The Hugo Kołłątaj Agricultural University of Cracow, Faculty of Forestry, Department of the Philosophy of Nature and Regional Culture; Cracow, 2009.
The worked out [...] opinion may be recapitulated as follow:
1) We do not have statistics on how many and what kind of animals are killed by trains every year in our country. We know, however, that such a collisions occur and they not only cause unnecessary harm to animals but also they are the cause of railway accidents. The evidence was given by the above mentioned examples (express train Rzepin – Kunowice running into a pack of wild boar resulting in death of animals and derailment of locomotive, collision of locomotive with European bison in Podlasie, et al.). So, there certainly is a risk and it should be prevented.
2) Emission of deterring sounds “understandable” for animals and with growing “drama” and intensity (from alarm calls to scream of victims killed by predators) is a good idea that could lead to a significant reduction in dangerous accidents on tracks involving animals.
3) What prof. Simona Kossak wrote in her opinion is of no doubt: animal fear voices used in UOZ-1 belong to the “key stimuli” category, they are deeply genetically encoded and there is no “danger” that animals will get used to this kind of stimuli and ignore them – after a longer period of operation of the devices. Indeed, this was confirmed by studies.
4) Research and monitoring of the UOZ-1 device conducted by scientists from the Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management of SGGW, Warsaw, in my opinion were carried out reliably and in accordance with the rules of scientific research, and the resulting conclusions of these studies are beyond doubt.
Research results
Animal deterring devices (UOZ-1) monitoring
Report for the period from December 2007 to November 2009
topic commissioned by PKP Polish Railway Lines S.A.,
Contract No. A/018/02a/031/00/5555/07 of 11/20/2007
Prof. Joanna Werka, Prof. Michał Wasilewski,
Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management; Warsaw 2009
Final conclusions
Conclusions resulting from the research on the acoustic animal deterring devices designed for railway lines on the Mińsk Mazowiecki – Siedlce railway line:
[...]
4. When the UOZ-1 devices started to emit the sound sequence the vast majority of observed animals reacted with flight and only in exceptional circumstances (for example chased by dogs) they crossed the railway line,
5.When the train had passed animals continued interrupted activities: foraging or moving across the tracks,
6. Mammals have not accustomed to signals emitted by UOZ-1 devices, as after 5 years from the installation of the devices they continue to react to the warning sounds,
7. Most of the animal-train collision occurred outside the areas protected by the UOZ-1 devices (in the immediate vicinity of UOZ-1 there were only two collisions – a roe deer and a deer doe chased by dogs died hit by oncoming train, all other collisions occurred on sites placed at the minimum distance of a few hundred metres from the nearest UOZ-1 unit),
8. The study on the effectiveness of UOZ-1 suggest that these devices significantly reduce the risk of animal-train collisions, it applies in particular to such common species as wild boar and roe deer, occurring all over the country and most vulnerable to collisions with trains,
9. The usage of natural sounds existing in nature causes that the UOZ-1 devices do not cause any negative environmental effects nor do cause degradation of animal habitats,
[...]
Study on the impact of acoustic signals emitted by UOZ-1 on birds,
Final report,
topic commissioned by PKP Polish Railway Lines S.A. Contract No. 60/011/051/00/11000891/10/I/O
Dr. eng. Marek Keller
Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Zoology and Wildlife Management; Warsaw 2011.
The studies lead to following conclusions:
1. Groups of nesting birds in the immediate vicinity of the railway line with installed UOZ-1 devices did not differ in any significant respect from groups in the control transects.
2. There were no differences in the structure of groups of birds of the same area in years in which UOZ-1 devices were and were not used.
3. The studied species of birds do not exhibit behavioural responses proving that they experience stress due to acoustic signals emitted by the UOZ-1 devices.
4. In the light of given materials it may be stated that there is no influence of sound signals emitted by the UOZ-1 devices on bird populations occurring within the range of these devices.
