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Zanette LY, Frizzelle NR, Clinchy M, Peel MJS, Keller CB, Huebner SE, Packer C. Fear of the human "super predator" pervades the South African savanna. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4689-4696.e4. [PMID: 37802052 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Lions have long been perceived as Africa's, if not the world's, most fearsome terrestrial predator,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 the "king of beasts". Wildlife's fear of humans may, however, be far more powerful and all-prevailing1,10 as recent global surveys show that humans kill prey at much higher rates than other predators,10,11,12 due partly to technologies such as hunting with dogs or guns.11,13,14,15 We comprehensively experimentally tested whether wildlife's fear of humans exceeds even that of lions, by quantifying fear responses1 in the majority of carnivore and ungulate species (n = 19) inhabiting South Africa`s Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP),9,15,16,17 using automated camera-speaker systems9,18 at waterholes during the dry season that broadcast playbacks of humans, lions, hunting sounds (dogs, gunshots) or non-predator controls (birds).9,19,20,21,22 Fear of humans significantly exceeded that of lions throughout the savanna mammal community. As a whole (n = 4,238 independent trials), wildlife were twice as likely to run (p < 0.001) and abandoned waterholes in 40% faster time (p < 0.001) in response to humans than to lions (or hunting sounds). Fully 95% of species ran more from humans than lions (significantly in giraffes, leopards, hyenas, zebras, kudu, warthog, and impala) or abandoned waterholes faster (significantly in rhinoceroses and elephants). Our results greatly strengthen the growing experimental evidence that wildlife worldwide fear the human "super predator" far more than other predators,1,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28 and the very substantial fear of humans demonstrated can be expected to cause considerable ecological impacts,1,6,22,23,24,29,30,31,32,33,34,35 presenting challenges for tourism-dependent conservation,1,36,37 particularly in Africa,38,39 while providing new opportunities to protect some species.1,22,40.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Y Zanette
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.
| | | | - Michael Clinchy
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Michael J S Peel
- ARC - Animal Production Institute, Rangeland Ecology Group, Mbombela 1200, South Africa; School for Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2017, South Africa; Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit, University of South Africa, Florida 1710, South Africa
| | - Carson B Keller
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Sarah E Huebner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Craig Packer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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2
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Medici EP, Mezzini S, Fleming CH, Calabrese JM, Noonan MJ. Movement ecology of vulnerable lowland tapirs between areas of varying human disturbance. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:14. [PMID: 35287742 PMCID: PMC8919628 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00313-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal movement is a key ecological process that is tightly coupled to local environmental conditions. While agriculture, urbanisation, and transportation infrastructure are critical to human socio-economic improvement, these have spurred substantial changes in animal movement across the globe with potential impacts on fitness and survival. Notably, however, human disturbance can have differential effects across species, and responses to human activities are thus largely taxa and context specific. As human disturbance is only expected to worsen over the next decade it is critical to better understand how species respond to human disturbance in order to develop effective, case-specific conservation strategies. METHODS Here, we use an extensive telemetry dataset collected over 22 years to fill a critical knowledge gap in the movement ecology of lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) across areas of varying human disturbance within three biomes in southern Brazil: the Pantanal, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest. RESULTS From these data we found that the mean home range size across all monitored tapirs was 8.31 km2 (95% CI 6.53-10.42), with no evidence that home range sizes differed between sexes nor age groups. Interestingly, although the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, and Pantanal vary substantially in habitat composition, levels of human disturbance, and tapir population densities, we found that lowland tapir movement behaviour and space use were consistent across all three biomes. Human disturbance also had no detectable effect on lowland tapir movement. Lowland tapirs living in the most altered habitats we monitored exhibited movement behaviour that was comparable to that of tapirs living in a near pristine environment. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our expectations, although we observed individual variability in lowland tapir space use and movement, human impacts on the landscape also had no measurable effect on their movement. Lowland tapir movement behaviour thus appears to exhibit very little phenotypic plasticity in response to human disturbance. Crucially, the lack of any detectable response to anthropogenic disturbance suggests that human modified habitats risk being ecological traps for tapirs and this information should be factored into conservation actions and species management aimed towards protecting lowland tapir populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- E P Medici
- Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative (LTCI), Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Rodovia Dom Pedro I, km 47, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, 12960-000, Brazil.
- IUCN SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), Campo Grande, Brazil.
- Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental E Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Rodovia Dom Pedro I, km 47, Nazaré Paulista, São Paulo, 12960-000, Brazil.
| | - S Mezzini
- The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, Canada
| | - C H Fleming
- University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, USA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - J M Calabrese
- Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS), Görlitz, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - M J Noonan
- The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, Canada
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Montgomery RA, Raupp J, Mukhwana M, Greenleaf A, Mudumba T, Muruthi P. The efficacy of interventions to protect crops from raiding elephants. AMBIO 2022; 51:716-727. [PMID: 34173175 PMCID: PMC8800974 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01587-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Both African elephants (Loxodonta spp.) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) across their range come into conflict with people because of their crop-raiding behavior, which presents profound impediments to farmer livelihoods. In response, a series of interventions, designed to reduce elephant crop raiding have been applied. Based on an extensive review of elephant crop-raiding studies published over a 31-year period, we identified four primary categories of interventions including: (i) detection efforts; (ii) preemptive measures; (iii) fencing and trenches; and (iv) deterrent techniques. The interventions reported to be most effective involved chili peppers (i.e., fences, spray, and briquettes) and crop guarding coupled with deterrents. The extent to which these interventions can be applied more widely is unclear as only two studies examined efficacy across sites in more than one country. Thus, future inquiry should evaluate the ability of effective interventions, or indeed a combination of interventions, to be applied across the range of elephants to reduce crop raiding at scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon OX13 5QL UK
| | - Jamie Raupp
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Methodius Mukhwana
- African Wildlife Foundation, Uganda Office, Plot 9 Bukoto Crescent, Naguru, P.O. Box 37346, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ashley Greenleaf
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
| | - Tutilo Mudumba
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Philip Muruthi
- African Wildlife Foundation, Headquarters, Ngong Road, Karen, P.O. Box 310, 00502 Nairobi, Kenya
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4
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OUP accepted manuscript. J Mammal 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Noonan MJ, Ascensão F, Yogui DR, Desbiez ALJ. Roads as ecological traps for giant anteaters. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Noonan
- The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science The University of British Columbia Kelowna BC Canada
| | - F. Ascensão
- Faculdade de Ciências Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - D. R. Yogui
- Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS) Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil
- Nashville Zoo Nashville TN USA
| | - A. L. J. Desbiez
- Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres (ICAS) Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ) São Paulo Brazil
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Edinburgh UK
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Moll RJ, Killion AK, Hayward MW, Montgomery RA. A Framework for the Eltonian Niche of Humans. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Recent research has highlighted several influential roles that humans play in ecosystems, including that of a superpredator, hyperkeystone species, and niche constructor. This work has begun to describe the Eltonian niche of humans, which encompasses humanity's cumulative ecological and evolutionary roles in trophic systems. However, we lack a unifying framework that brings together these strands of research, links them to ecoevolutionary and sociocultural theory, and identifies current research needs. In this article, we present such a framework in hope of facilitating a more holistic approach to operationalizing human roles in trophic systems across an increasingly anthropogenic biosphere. The framework underscores how humans play numerous nuanced roles in trophic systems, from top-down to bottom-up, that entail not only pernicious effects but also benefits for many nonhuman species. Such a nuanced view of the Eltonian niche of humans is important for understanding complex social–ecological system functioning and enacting effective policies and conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remington J Moll
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States
| | - Alexander K Killion
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Matt W Hayward
- Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
- Mammal Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Tshwane, South Africa, and with the Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
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de Knegt HJ, Eikelboom JAJ, van Langevelde F, Spruyt WF, Prins HHT. Timely poacher detection and localization using sentinel animal movement. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4596. [PMID: 33633133 PMCID: PMC7907380 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83800-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife crime is one of the most profitable illegal industries worldwide. Current actions to reduce it are far from effective and fail to prevent population declines of many endangered species, pressing the need for innovative anti-poaching solutions. Here, we propose and test a poacher early warning system that is based on the movement responses of non-targeted sentinel animals, which naturally respond to threats by fleeing and changing herd topology. We analyzed human-evasive movement patterns of 135 mammalian savanna herbivores of four different species, using an internet-of-things architecture with wearable sensors, wireless data transmission and machine learning algorithms. We show that the presence of human intruders can be accurately detected (86.1% accuracy) and localized (less than 500 m error in 54.2% of the experimentally staged intrusions) by algorithmically identifying characteristic changes in sentinel movement. These behavioral signatures include, among others, an increase in movement speed, energy expenditure, body acceleration, directional persistence and herd coherence, and a decrease in suitability of selected habitat. The key to successful identification of these signatures lies in identifying systematic deviations from normal behavior under similar conditions, such as season, time of day and habitat. We also show that the indirect costs of predation are not limited to vigilance, but also include (1) long, high-speed flights; (2) energetically costly flight paths; and (3) suboptimal habitat selection during flights. The combination of wireless biologging, predictive analytics and sentinel animal behavior can benefit wildlife conservation via early poacher detection, but also solve challenges related to surveillance, safety and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik J de Knegt
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jasper A J Eikelboom
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | | | - Herbert H T Prins
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Montgomery RA, Raupp J, Parkhurst M. Animal Behavioral Responses to the COVID-19 Quietus. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:184-186. [PMID: 33419597 PMCID: PMC7833595 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Lockdown measures fundamentally reshaped human society during the COVID-19 pandemic. We present a framework featuring seven animal behavioral changes as a result of the calming effect of the lockdowns on human actions (COVID-19 quietus). We demonstrate how this framework can be used to quantify animal behavioral responses with implications for ecology and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Montgomery
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | - Jamie Raupp
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Magdalena Parkhurst
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and their Prey (RECaP) Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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