Wildlife Shows Wide Range of Responses to Human Presence in U.S. National Parks

Strategic Insights -

As the pandemic-induced closures of America's national parks created a rare opportunity for scientists to study animal behavior, a multinational team of researchers tracked 229 animals from 14 U.S. national parks and protected areas to understand why glimpses of iconic wildlife can be so elusive. Led by zoologist Kaitlyn Gaynor of the University of British Columbia, the study used GPS collar data to compare the movements of predator and ungulate species in parks with varying levels of human presence. The results showed a wide range of responses to human infrastructure, from avoidance to adaptation, and highlight the complex interplay between humans and wildlife in protected areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that animals in more developed areas switched from avoiding human infrastructure when the park was open in 2019 to using it more when the park was closed in 2020, suggesting that the absence of humans may have provided a temporary benefit to some species.
  • While some species, such as bighorn sheep and mountain lions, are generally wary of people, others, like mule deer and elk, have learned to associate humans with benefits and may even prefer to be closer to developed areas.
  • The researchers found that the presence of humans and human infrastructure has lasting effects on animal behavior, contributing to a better understanding of how human activity influences animal behavior within protected areas.
  • Some species, such as black bears, may become habituated to food sources in developed areas, leading to problems when human presence returns.
  • The study suggests that balancing recreation and conservation is crucial, as human presence can influence both the resources available to animals and the risk of using those spaces, with differing effects on animal species.
  • The national parks' dual mandate to preserve natural and cultural resources while providing enjoyment of the parks to people makes them particularly interesting places to study animal behavior.
  • U.S. national parks hosted record-breaking numbers of visitors in 2019 and 2020, underlining the need to find ways to balance human presence with wildlife conservation.

Statistics:

  • 229 animals from 14 U.S. national parks and protected areas were tracked using GPS collar data.
  • The study compared animal movements in parks with varying levels of human presence during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and in 2019.
  • The average duration of park closures during the pandemic was 58 days.
  • U.S. national parks hosted more than 327 million visits in 2019 and a record 331.9 million visits in 2020.
  • The study found that some individuals and populations showed a strong response to the absence of people during park shutdowns, but most did not.

Sources:

  • Gaynor, K., et al. (2022). Wildlife shows wide range of responses to human presence in U.S. national parks. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1978), 1-10.
  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (2022). Wildlife shows wide range of responses to human presence in U.S. national parks. News release.