Research Highlights Impact of Humans on Animal Behavior in US National Parks

A recent study offers new insights into how human infrastructure in US national parks significantly influences the behavior of large animals. Despite a temporary lockdown in 2020, which closed many parks due to the pandemic, these animals largely continued to avoid areas that humans have modified.

Interestingly, not all locations exhibited the same behavior. In some more developed regions, animals transitioned from avoiding human infrastructure in 2019 to utilizing it in 2020. Nonetheless, in most parks, and particularly in remote areas, the tendency to avoid human-built structures remained consistent.

“Wildlife globally tends to fear people and steers clear of areas with high human presence,” stated Kate Lingeynor, a zoologist at the University of British Columbia and the study’s leading author.

She expressed surprise at how this pattern extended to more isolated protected regions as well.

To investigate, researchers analyzed GPS data from 10 species across 229 animals in 14 national parks over the span of 2019 to 2020. This allowed a deeper understanding of how animals navigated areas with human activities.

Species examined included grey wolves, mountain lions, various bear types, moose, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. Overall, the study found widespread avoidance of infrastructure like roads, trails, and campsites; however, individual responses varied by species and specific populations.

For instance, animals in more developed areas were more inclined to explore human-made environments when people were absent in 2020. A manager at Yosemite noted that black bears encountered difficulties getting stuck in places after visitors returned post-lockdown.

“The bears got accustomed to the food abundance in Yosemite Valley and didn’t want to let go,” Gaynor remarked.

Despite some populations, such as Yosemite’s black bears, showing adaptability to park closures, Gaynor noted that most were not as resilient.

“Many reports from 2020 suggested animals had taken over the parks, leading us to think the impact would be more significant,” Gaynor explained. “But it takes only a few individuals altering their behavior to create an awareness of broader effects.”

The researchers suggested that the short duration of park closures—averaging about 58 days—might not have provided enough time for animals to adapt fully to a drop in human activities.

They also speculated that risk-averse animals might have already been replaced before the pandemic, indicating those familiar with human presence remained.

Co-author Forest Hayes, a postdoctoral researcher from Colorado State University, addressed these variances, emphasizing how animals weigh risks and benefits related to human encounters.

Reflecting on this complexity, Gaynor noted that while some animals, like bighorn sheep and mountain lions, are inherently cautious, others have learned to associate humans with potential benefits.

For example, mule deer and elk in Zion National Park often stay close to humans, possibly as a strategy to escape predators.

The study also underscored the diverse animal responses to human interactions, revealing a tension between recreational use of parks and conservation efforts.

“Our findings support the idea that conservation can coexist with limited recreational activities,” Gaynor concluded, “but it’s essential to maintain areas dedicated to wildlife.”