Impacts of human recreation on carnivores in protected areas

Abstract

Mammalian carnivores can be particularly sensitive to human disturbance, even within protected areas (PAs). Our objective was to understand how human disturbance affects carnivore communities in southern Arizona, USA by studying habitat occupancy based on data collected using non-invasive methods in three PAs with different levels of human disturbance. Carnivore occupancy varied based on human disturbance variables (i.e., roads, trails, etc.). Common carnivore species (coyotes, gray foxes, and bobcats) had high occupancy probability in highly disturbed sites, while all other carnivore species had a higher probability of occupancy in low disturbance protected areas. Additionally, overall carnivore diversity was higher in PAs with low human disturbance. Edges of PAs appeared to negatively impact occupancy of nearly all carnivore species. We also found the presence of roads and trails, and not necessarily how much they are used, had a significant negative impact on the occupancy of most carnivore species. Furthermore, the overall level of disturbance within a PA influenced how sensitive carnivores were to human disturbance variables. Carnivores were more sensitive in PAs with higher levels of disturbance and were relatively unaffected by disturbance variables in a PA with low base levels of disturbance. Increased visitation to PAs, expected with the region’s high level of population growth, is likely to cause shifts in the carnivore communities favoring species that are less sensitive to disturbance.

Camera Trapping to Assess Status and Composition of Mammal Communities in a Biodiversity Hotspot in Myanmar

“…In the HWS, instead, we documented the presence of tigers, and we also know that leopards are commonly present [ 26 , 59 ]. This result suggests a possible effect of human disturbance on large carnivores in the RYER, as already documented in many other areas of the world [ 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. Certainly, this fact highlights the importance of focusing conservation efforts on this threatened group because human–large carnivore conflict is one of the main reason of the decline of this group worldwide [ 64 ], especially for tigers [ 65 ].…”

Factors influencing the diurnal behaviour of white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

“…Another feature of human‐influenced landscapes is disturbance, such as vehicular traffic and walking safaris. Disturbance can result in the modification of behavioural patterns and individual performance of large mammals (Baker & Leberg, 2018; Caro, 1999; Frid & Dill, 2002; Pépin, Lamerenx, Chadelaud, & Recarte, 1996) by imposing limitations to movement (Klar, Herrmann, & Kramer‐Schadt, 2009), affecting mating opportunities (Frair, Merrill, Beyer, & Morales, 2008; Leblond, Dussault, & Ouellet, 2013), modifying foraging routes (Leblond et al., 2013) or increasing perceived predation risk (Frid & Dill, 2002). Both spatial and temporal changes have been recorded, for example large‐bodied mammals avoiding roads (Mohd‐Azlan et al., 2018) or animals being active when humans are absent (Gaynor, Hojnowski, Carter, & Brashares, 2018).…”

Effect of Recreational Trails on Forest Birds: Human Presence Matters

“…Many studies have therefore aimed at assessing the effects of outdoor recreational activities on wildlife (Steidl and Powell, 2006;Steven et al, 2011;Gutzwiller et al, 2017). Effects of trails, mainly through generating edge habitat, have been substantially investigated (Marini et al, 1995;Dale et al, 2000;Flaspohler et al, 2001) as well as considering the effect of the mere presence of humans, in or outside protected areas (Müllner et al, 2004;Arlettaz et al, 2007;Martin and Réale, 2008;Kangas et al, 2010;Rösner et al, 2014;Bötsch et al, 2017;Baker and Leberg, 2018). Studies investigating trail effects on birds found inconsistent results, with some studies showing an effect of trails while others do not (Gutzwiller et al, 1998;Miller et al, 1998;Deluca and King, 2014;Thompson, 2015).…”