Wildlife is affected by traffic. Previous studies have already shown that roads can alter the behavior of wild animals. However, it has been difficult to distinguish the influence of permanent changes to the landscape, such as clearing forests to build a freeway, from the effects of daily human activity, such as rush-hour traffic.
During the early weeks and months of the Covid-19 pandemic, the sudden decline in human activity provided scientists with an opportunity to study the effects of traffic on wildlife. The new findings build on smaller, more localized studies from the pandemic era, which showed many wild animals change their behavior when cars disappear. Temporary limits on traffic in critical habitats during certain breeding or migration seasons could benefit animals. “It shows that animals still have this flexibility or ability to adapt their behavior in response to us,” said Dr. Tucker.
The pandemic-related reduction in human activity, sometimes called the “anthropause,” gave scientists an opportunity to investigate the impact of humans on the natural world and what happens when we disappear. The Covid-19 Bio-Logging Initiative was launched in 2020, and more than 600 researchers have contributed data on the movements of wild animals during the pandemic. The new Science study focused on the movements of terrestrial mammals during the initial lockdowns, comparing them with their movements during the same period in 2019.
The researchers are now looking into what happened after the lockdowns eased and whether wild mammals reverted to their previous movement patterns as humans returned to their normal activities. The bio-logging initiative is continuing, and scientists expect to publish more results on both bird and mammal movements soon. “It’s so exciting to be able to share these findings after a three-year journey,” said Dr. Rutz, who heads the initiative. “And we are already thinking about next steps for investigating human-wildlife interactions.”
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