존재만으로 로드킬이 줄었다…대형 포식자의 ‘이익’

A recent study suggests that the mere presence of large predators can reduce roadkill incidents involving wildlife, such as deer and vehicles. In the United States, Washington state, the likelihood of a deer-vehicle collision could decrease by up to 76% in areas where wolves are present. This discovery was published in the prestigious scientific journal "Current Biology" on August 8.

Researchers from Conservation Science Partners, led by Dr. Justin Suraci, analyzed the data collected from unmanned cameras and tracking devices installed across the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, United States. The findings indicate that wolves cause deer to alter their habitats and activity patterns to avoid predation. Consequently, the frequency of roadkill incidents decreases significantly.

According to the research, wolves serve as an important ecological service by providing a natural check on the deer population. In a separate study conducted in Wisconsin in 2021, the presence of wolves led to a 24% reduction in deer-vehicle collisions. The economic benefits of this reduction were found to be 63 times greater than the cost of wolves preying on livestock.

To further investigate these findings, researchers installed 503 wildlife cameras throughout the Olympic Peninsula, with 59 fitted with GPS tracking devices. The results showed that deer shifted their habitats and altered their daily activities to avoid wolves. Consequently, the likelihood of deer-vehicle collisions decreased by 67% in areas with high wolf occupancy and by up to 76% in locations with the highest wolf presence over the past five years (July 2020 to June 2025).

This phenomenon, known as the "Landscape of Fear," suggests that the presence of large predators plays a crucial role in regulating prey populations and maintaining ecological balance. The study's findings support the concept of "rewilding," which emphasizes the importance of reintroducing apex predators to restore ecological equilibrium.