Citation

Raynor JL, Grainger CA, Parker DP. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2021; 118(22): e202325111.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, National Academy of Sciences)

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2023251118

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent studies uncover cascading ecological effects resulting from removing and reintroducing predators into a landscape, but little is known about effects on human lives and property. We quantify the effects of restoring wolf populations by evaluating their influence on deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) in Wisconsin. We show that, for the average county, wolf entry reduced DVCs by 24%, yielding an economic benefit that is 63 times greater than the costs of verified wolf predation on livestock. Most of the reduction is due to a behavioral response of deer to wolves rather than through a deer population decline from wolf predation. This finding supports ecological research emphasizing the role of predators in creating a "landscape of fear." It suggests wolves control economic damages from overabundant deer in ways that human deer hunters cannot.

Language: en

Keywords

economic impact; deer–vehicle collision; gray wolf (Canis lupus); trophic cascade; white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)