If wolves prey on deer for food, what will most likely happen to the deer population if wolves are removed from an area where deer live?

• A. The Population of Deer Will Increase.
• B. The Population of Deer Will Decrease.
• C. The Population of Deer Will Remain the Same.
• D. The Population of Deer Will Become Extinct.

Answer: (A)

Predators help regulate prey numbers. Wolves hunt deer, so they naturally keep the deer population from growing too large. When wolves are removed, the pressure from predation drops dramatically. More deer survive each year, including fawns, and reproduction isn’t checked as strongly, so the overall deer population tends to rise. Over time, that growth slows again once resources like food, space, and habitat become limiting, but the immediate and most likely outcome is an increase in deer numbers. This illustrates how predators help balance ecosystems by keeping prey populations in check.