Socioeconomic Benefits of Large Carnivore Recolonization Through Reduced Wildlife‐Vehicle Collisions
Open accessAbstract
The decline of top carnivores has released large herbivore populations around the world, incurring socioeconomic costs such as increased animal–vehicle collisions. Attempts to control overabundant deer in the Eastern United States have largely failed, and deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) continue to rise at alarming rates. We present the first valuation of an ecosystem service provided by large carnivore recolonization, using DVC reduction by cougars as a case study. Our coupled deer population models and socioeconomic valuations revealed that cougars could reduce deer densities and DVCs by 22% in the Eastern United States, preventing 21,400 human injuries, 155 fatalities, and $2.13 billion in avoided costs within 30 years of establishment. Recently established cougars in South Dakota prevent $1.1 million in collision costs annually. Large carnivore restoration could provide valuable ecosystem services through such socio‐ecological cascades, and these benefits could offset the societal costs of coexistence.
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Dense populations of deer in urban and suburban areas result in numerous deer-vehicle collisions, causing severe injuries and potentially death.
“Dense populations of deer in urban and suburban areas result in numerous deer-vehicle collisions, causing severe injuries and potentially death (Conover et al., 1995;Gilbert et al., 2017).”
From Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs (2024) · cites this paper as Gilbert et al., 2017
The Introduction reports that rising deer numbers have contributed to more deer-vehicle collisions in the United States, with 29,000 injuries and over 200 deaths annually. It does not locate those dense deer populations or collisions specifically in urban and suburban areas. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Cites
Trophic Downgrading of Planet Earth
Estes, J. A., Terborgh, J., Brashares, J. S., Power, M. E., Berger, J., Bond, W. J., Carpenter, S. R., Essington, T. E., Holt, R. D., Jackson, J. B. C., et al. (2011) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1205106 · Cited by 4,087 · cited 2× · see citing works
“The global decline of large carnivores has led to dramatic ecosystem changes, including increased herbivore abundance and decreased biodiversity (Côté et al. 2004; Knight et al. 2005; Myers et al. 2007; Estes et al. 2011; Ripple et al. 2014).”
BackgroundStatus and Ecological Effects of the World’s Largest Carnivores
Ripple, W. J., Estes, J. A., Beschta, R. L., Wilmers, C. C., Ritchie, E. G., Hebblewhite, M., Berger, J., Elmhagen, B., Letnic, M., Nelson, M. P., et al. (2014) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1241484 · Cited by 3,667 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Bowyer, R.T., Bleich, V.C., Stewart, K.M., Whiting, J.C. & Monteith, K.L. (2014) Density dependence in ungulates: a review of causes, and concepts with some clarifications. J. Wildl. Manage., 100, 550-572.
- Carter, N.H., Shrestha, B.K., Karki, J.B., Man, N., Pradhan, B. & Liu, J. (2012) Coexistence between wildlife and humans at fine spatial scales. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 109, 15360-15365.
- Conover, M.R., Pitt, W.C., Kessler, K.K., Dubow, T.J. & Sanborn, W.A. (1995) Review of human injuries, illnesses, and economic losses caused by wildlife in the United States. Wildl. Soc. Bull., 23, 407-414.
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Of Rarity and Symbolism: Understanding Human Perceptions of Charismatic Color Morphs
Williams, T. D., Kreling, S. E. S., Stanton, L. A., Wilkinson, C. E., Estien, C. O., Schell, C. J., & Carlen, E. J. (2024) · Human Ecology · doi:10.1007/s10745-024-00492-7 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Dense populations of deer in urban and suburban areas result in numerous deer-vehicle collisions, causing severe injuries and potentially death (Conover et al., 1995; Gilbert et al., 2017).”
- Authors
- Gilbert, S. L., Sivy, K. J., Pozzanghera, C. B., DuBour, A., Overduijn, K., Smith, M. M., Zhou, J., Little, J. M., & Prugh, L. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gilbert, Sophie L.
- Prugh, Laura R.
- Venue
- Conservation Letters
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-08-29
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 431-439
- ISSN
- 1755-263X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2464487016
- Cited by
- 94
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 3.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Conservation Letters (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Keywords
- Puma concolor, deer-vehicle collisions, ecosystem services valuation, socioeconomic costs, eastern United States
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