Pumas are protecting human lives by preventing vehicle collisions accounting for a 76% reduction in accidents

Whoever thought animals would be able to prevent accidents? According to a recent study published in 'Current Biology' the presence of pumas in Washington has decreased the risk of road collisions immensely. Researchers found that the presence of pumas in the Olympic Peninsula area of Washington has changed the behaviour of the local deer population, thus decreasing the animal-vehicle collisions and improving overall safety.In areas where pumas are present, there is a 76% reduction in the number of deer-vehicle collisions because deer shift activity toward daylight hours. “We found that large carnivores can make roadways safer through their effects on prey behaviour and space use,” Justin Suraci of Conservation Science Partners in Truckee, Calif., the study’s lead author, said in a press release.“Deer alter their use of both space and time where pumas are present, overlapping less with roads and reducing activity at night, when some of the most dangerous collisions occur,” Suraci added. “Increased road safety thus represents an ecosystem service that large predators like pumas can provide to human communities.”They were 15% less likely to be near roads, choosing to spend time in re...