Wolves make roadways safer, generating large economic returns to predator conservation.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Wildlife Management
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Ecological research increasingly documents cascading effects of predator removal and reintroduction.
• However, the impacts of predator restoration on human safety and property remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the influence of wolf population restoration on deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) in Wisconsin.
• To assess the economic implications of wolf reintroduction concerning DVCs and livestock predation.

Main Methods:

• Statistical analysis of DVC data in relation to wolf presence across Wisconsin counties.
• Economic valuation of reduced DVCs compared to costs associated with wolf predation on livestock.

Main Results:

• Wolf entry into a county was associated with a 24% average reduction in DVCs.
• The economic benefits from reduced DVCs were 63 times greater than the costs of verified wolf predation on livestock.
• Deer behavioral changes, driven by a 'landscape of fear,' were the primary driver of DVC reduction, not solely deer population decline.

Conclusions:

• Wolf reintroduction provides substantial economic benefits by mitigating DVCs, exceeding livestock predation costs.
• Predators play a crucial role in shaping prey behavior, influencing ecosystems and human-related damages.
• Wolf restoration offers a novel approach to managing overabundant deer populations and associated economic damages.