Cougar Presence Could Cut U.S. Deer-Vehicle Crashes by Up to Three-Quarters

Data collected from more than 500 camera traps on the Olympic Peninsula revealed that cougars, which favor fragmented habitats near roads, cause deer to avoid those zones and spend more time in dense woods. As a result, deer were 15% less likely to be near roadways and 86% more likely to remain in forest interiors, cutting the five-year collision count by over 76% where cougars were abundant. The study, led by senior scientist Justin Suraci of Conservation Science Partners and supported by the nonprofit Panthera, compares predator presence with State Farm’s animal-related insurance claims.

Prior research on wolves and modeling of cougar expansion helped isolate the effect from simple reductions in deer numbers. Experts such as University of Washington’s Laura Prugh praised the findings while noting that seasonal mating behavior may alter the pattern.