Mountain Lions Are Keeping Deer Off the Road, Study Finds
Mountain lions in Washington state may be cutting down on traffic accidents by scaring deer away from roads, new research finds. Read more on E360 →
A new study reveals that mountain lions in Washington state may be reducing traffic accidents by keeping deer away from roads. Deer tend to avoid open areas, including highways, when predators are nearby. While it has been suggested that predators could help prevent traffic collisions involving prey, this has never been shown in regions where big predators are common.
The researchers tracked wildlife across the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and compared collision data with photos captured by camera traps, which showed the presence of mountain lions. These big cats, also known as cougars or pumas, primarily hunt deer. The findings indicate that where mountain lions were active, deer were less likely to be found near roads, leading to a 67 percent decrease in the odds of a traffic accident involving deer.
The study was published in the journal Current Biology. Mark Elbroch, a coauthor from Panthera, a conservation group dedicated to preserving wild cats, noted that while there is often focus on the risks mountain lions pose, they also provide numerous benefits.
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