Use of space
Large carnivores impact road safety by influencing their prey's use of space. This is the title of a particularly interesting study recently published in the specialized journal "Current Biology." The study was conducted by researchers at Conservation Science Partners (a nonprofit scientific research organization) and the NGO Panthera (a nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of wild cats). The study's conclusion is remarkable: the presence of pumas in the United States can reduce collisions between cars and deer by up to 76%. How is this possible?
Worrying numbers
The research began with a simple fact: every year in the United States, collisions between ungulates and cars cause as many as 1.5 million road accidents, with 200 fatalities and damages exceeding $10 billion. The expansion of the range of large carnivores, primarily pumas, has ultimately reduced the number of ungulates. The provision of pumas is literally defined as "a vital ecosystem service."
Greater caution
In short, these predators influence and change the behavior of deer: this doesn't necessarily mean they attack them, but it makes them much more cautious, to the point that sudden road crossings (and the resulting accidents) are substantially reduced. Moreover, the deer themselves now tend to appear during the day, when pumas are less active, significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents at night.
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