Scientists track unsettling change in wildlife patterns near popular hiking trails: 'They're still avoiding people'
According to The Wildlife Society (TWS), a recent study found that "several species changed their behavior around high-use trails on Mount Tamalpais in California's Bay Area."
Lead author Erin Lacour, a TWS member and restoration project manager at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began examining existing data sets on wildlife behavior in her master's course. She attended San José State University during the pandemic, so it was challenging to do fieldwork.
She looked at One Tam data from its cameras. It's a joint project between federal, state, and private organizations to care for and restore Mount Tam. Unfortunately, those cameras didn't record human activity.
So, she also looked at the fitness app, Strava. The app enables users to track and share hiking, running, cycling, and swimming activities with GPS. Luckily, the company makes the data available to researchers for free on Strava Metro.
She looked at data from Strava and the One Tam cameras from between 2016 and 2017. She wanted to see if humans were still affecting wildlife behavior. She noted that these lands are protected, but human activity is still affecting the wildlife.
She looked at the cameras 30 meters (98 feet) from the trails and 100 meters (328 feet) to 1 kilometer (3,280 feet) away.
The black-tailed jackrabbit, gray fox, and mule deer were detected close to the trails, but were more active at night.
The western gray squirrels, which are a concern in California, were detected on cameras further away from the trail.
"[Wildlife] were using trails for travel. But they're still avoiding people because they're using them more frequently at nighttime," said Lacour.
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Mountain biking also had a greater effect than hiking, as bush rabbits and mule deer were seen less often near trails with frequent cyclists.
Lacour's study, published in the Journal of Wildlife Management, correlates with a study done in Santa Monica, which found mountain lions were changing their behavior due to human activity. These big cats were coming out more at night to avoid humans.
TWS said, "These types of shifts can change the way that an ecosystem works."
According to The Royal Society, all life on Earth, including humans, need a healthy ecosystem. Without biodiversity — a wide range of animals and plants — there can be no healthy ecosystems. It's required for the food people eat and the air they breathe.
Lacour believes using data from Strava can help manage trails, creating zones that protect sensitive species.
You can enable this work by donating to climate causes and being mindful of your impact on the environment and wildlife around you.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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