Researchers have found an interesting pattern in the daily habits of lions and hyenas in a Namibian national park in hopes of better understanding how human interaction can affect wildlife in the region.
What’s happening?
The University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources turned its attention to Etosha National Park in Namibia, tracking 14 lions and nine hyenas via GPS collars over an eight-year span. What they found was that while these species didn’t avoid more tourist-trafficked roads completely, they tended to prefer less crowded paths.
“The animals are still staying in that area because that’s where a number of waterholes are found, but they’re going to be found in the parts that are closer to the less trafficked roads,” explained Jessy Patterson, lead author of the study.
In an even more interesting result, the lion populations were more likely to be in areas with less vegetation. The research team was amazed by this development, as lions are typically an ambush species that hunt their prey by hiding in bushes and the like.
“[Herbivores] know if they’re near these areas of vegetation, lions can hide and ambush them,” Patterson said. “So, herbivores may be avoiding those areas for that reason, which means lions have to go hunt more in the open areas.”
Why is studying animal movement important?
When handled irresponsibly, tourism can have disastrous effects on wildlife populations. A similar study from the UGA team showed that animals act differently when tourists are around.
If tourists crowd a habitat or interfere with natural processes like breeding, it can scare local animals, change their natural habits, and even inhibit vulnerable populations from sustaining themselves. However, tourism is necessary in a lot of regions, as visits can stimulate the local economy and fund conservation efforts needed to protect these animals.
What’s being done about shifting wildlife habits?
The purpose of this line of research is to ensure that national parks like Etosha have the information needed to balance conservation and tourism in an ecologically healthy way.
“The message here is not that tourism is bad. These large predators need large areas to roam and access prey, and tourism is a huge driver of many economies,” said Jim Beasley, co-author of the study.
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