Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns
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Date
Authors
Tucker, Marlee A.
Schipper, Aafke M.
Adams, Tempe S.F.
Attias, Nina
Avgar, Tal
Babic, Natarsha L.
Barker, Kristin J.
Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume
Behr, Dominik M.
Belant, Jerrold L.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Abstract
COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions. However, under strict lockdowns 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting increased landscape permeability. Animals’ 1-hour 95th percentile displacements declined by 12% and animals were 36% closer to roads in areas of high human footprint, indicating reduced avoidance during lockdowns. Overall, lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide.
Description
DATA AND MATERIALS AVAILABILITY : The full dataset used in the final analyses (33) and associated code (34) are available at Dryad. A subset of the spatial coordinate datasets is available at Zenodo (35). Certain datasets of spatial coordinates will be available only through requests made to the authors due to conservation and Indigenous sovereignty concerns (see table S1 for more information on data use restrictions and contact information for data requests). These sensitive data will be made available upon request to qualified researchers for research purposes, provided that the data use will not threaten the study populations, such as by distribution or publication of the coordinates or detailed maps. Some datasets, such as those overseen by government agencies, have additional legal restrictions on data sharing, and researchers may need to formally apply for data access. Collaborations with data holders are generally encouraged, and in cases where data are held by Indigenous groups or institutions from regions that are under-represented in the global science community, collaboration may be required to ensure inclusion.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Terrestrial mammals, Road avoidance, Movement
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Tucker, M.A., Schipper, A.M., Adams, T.S.F. et al. 2023, 'Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns', Science (New York, N.Y.), vol. 380, no. 6649, pp. 1059-1064, doi : 10.1126/science.abo6499.