Elusive and efficient ambush hunters, cougars are a natural predator of deer. In fact, research suggests they may be an effective tool in managing deer overpopulation and reducing collisions with wildlife. In a 2016 study recently highlighted in the news, SEFS Associate Professor Dr. Laura Prugh and co-authors found that reintroducing cougar populations across the Eastern US could eliminate 708,600 collisions and $2.13 billion in damages over 30 years.
Dr. Prugh was interviewed by the Philly Voice about what cougar reintroduction could mean for deer overpopulation, animal-vehicle collisions, disease and biodiversity in Pennsylvania.