Understanding mammal avoidance of human settlements

Understanding mammal avoidance of human settlements | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 13 October 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Understanding mammal avoidance of human settlements Authors : Jonathan Potts 0000-0002-8564-2904 [email protected] , Luca Börger 0000-0001-8763-5997 , Marlee Tucker , Federico Ossi 0000-0001-9004-9649 , Scott Yanco 0000-0003-4717-9370 , Diego Ellis Soto , Thomas Mueller , … Show All … , Ruth Oliver 0000-0003-3642-3980 , Mario Alves 0000-0001-6742-8173 , Walter Arnold , Nina Attias , Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau 0000-0001-6799-639X , Jerrold Belant , David Blount , Dean Beyer , Francesca Cagnacci , Simon Chamaillé-Jammes 0000-0003-0505-6620 , Aung Chan 0000-0003-2706-6969 , Eric Cole , Jessica Cornils , Rogerio de Paula , Vickie DeNicola 0000-0003-3558-2541 , Arnaud Desbiez , Sarah Dewey , David Drake , Michael Egan 0000-0002-9952-5602 , Jasper Eikelboom , Morgan Farmer 0000-0002-6320-9587 , Mathieu Garel , Jacob Goheen , Hans Hansen , Lars Haugaard , Mark Hebblewhite , Morten Heim , Ježek Miloš , Lilla Jordan 0000-0002-8800-4959 , Douglas Kamaru 0000-0002-8089-2074 , Miha Krofel 0000-0002-2010-5219 , Tayler Lasharr , Peter Leimgruber , Anne Loison , Ryan Long , Matthias Loretto , Pascal Marchand , Erling Meisingset , Jörg Melzheimer , Kevin Monteith , John Morgan , Rasmus Mohr Mortensen 0000-0003-4975-608X , Rebekka Mueller , Atle Mysterud , Astrid Olejarz , Teresa Oliveira , Manuela Panzacchi , Ruben Portas 0000-0002-0686-0701 , Hubert Potocnik 0000-0002-8189-1057 , Herbert Prins , Laura Prugh 0000-0001-9045-3107 , Nathan Ranc , Ralf Roeder , Christer Rolandsen , Cagan Sekercioglu , Aldin Selimovic , Rachel Smiley 0000-0001-7230-508X , Erling Solberg , Olav Strand , Peter Strand 0000-0002-7485-037X , Carole Toïgo , Bram Van Moorter 0000-0002-3196-1993 , Tana Verzuh 0000-0003-4027-5415 , Bettina Wachter , Brittany Wagler , Jesse Whittington , Christopher Wilmers , George Wittemyer 0000-0003-1640-5355 , and Christian Rutz Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176037346.60955875/v1 647 views 463 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Anthropogenic land conversion is increasingly affecting wildlife populations. To mitigate impacts, we must understand how animals are affected by different types of human activity. Here, we examine if terrestrial mammals altered their movements around buildings in response to reduced human mobility during COVID-19 lockdowns. Using GPS data from 35 study sites across five continents and 23 different species, we tested whether animals changed their avoidance of buildings during lockdowns. Meta-analysis of population-level effects revealed that, in areas with high (but not low) human footprint, animals tended to show a significant reduction in their avoidance of buildings during lockdown. No such effect was detected during equivalent periods in years other than 2020, indicating that behavioural changes were caused by reduced human mobility, independent of infrastructure. Our findings suggest that animals living alongside humans exhibit greater plasticity when people change their behaviour, likely reflecting the combined effects of environmental filtering and habituation. Supplementary Material File (anthropause_potts_et_al_ecol_lett_firstsubm.pdf) Download 1.39 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 13 October 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords anthropause bio-logging gps tracking human-wildlife coexistence step selection sustainability Authors Affiliations Jonathan Potts 0000-0002-8564-2904 [email protected] The University of Sheffield View all articles by this author Luca Börger 0000-0001-8763-5997 Swansea University View all articles by this author Marlee Tucker Radboud University View all articles by this author Federico Ossi 0000-0001-9004-9649 Fondazione Edmund Mach Centro Ricerca e Innovazione View all articles by this author Scott Yanco 0000-0003-4717-9370 University of Michigan View all articles by this author Diego Ellis Soto Yale University View all articles by this author Thomas Mueller Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) View all articles by this author Ruth Oliver 0000-0003-3642-3980 UC Santa Barbara View all articles by this author Mario Alves 0000-0001-6742-8173 University of Bari View all articles by this author Walter Arnold University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna View all articles by this author Nina Attias Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres View all articles by this author Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau 0000-0001-6799-639X Southern Illinois University System View all articles by this author Jerrold Belant Michigan State University View all articles by this author David Blount University of Utah View all articles by this author Dean Beyer Michigan State University View all articles by this author Francesca Cagnacci Fondazione Edmund Mach Istituto Agrario di San Michele all'Adige View all articles by this author Simon Chamaillé-Jammes 0000-0003-0505-6620 CNRS View all articles by this author Aung Chan 0000-0003-2706-6969 Colorado State University View all articles by this author Eric Cole National Elk Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service View all articles by this author Jessica Cornils University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna View all articles by this author Rogerio de Paula ICMBio View all articles by this author Vickie DeNicola 0000-0003-3558-2541 Field Engine Wildlife Research and Management View all articles by this author Arnaud Desbiez Royal Zoological Society of Scotland View all articles by this author Sarah Dewey National Park Service View all articles by this author David Drake University of Wisconsin-Madison View all articles by this author Michael Egan 0000-0002-9952-5602 Southern Illinois University Carbondale View all articles by this author Jasper Eikelboom Wageningen University & Research View all articles by this author Morgan Farmer 0000-0002-6320-9587 University of Wisconsin-Madison View all articles by this author Mathieu Garel Office francais de la biodiversite View all articles by this author Jacob Goheen Univ Wyoming View all articles by this author Hans Hansen Aarhus Universitet View all articles by this author Lars Haugaard Aarhus Universitet View all articles by this author Mark Hebblewhite University of Montana View all articles by this author Morten Heim Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Ježek Miloš Czech University of Life Sciences Prague View all articles by this author Lilla Jordan 0000-0002-8800-4959 Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV View all articles by this author Douglas Kamaru 0000-0002-8089-2074 Iowa State University View all articles by this author Miha Krofel 0000-0002-2010-5219 University of Ljubljana View all articles by this author Tayler Lasharr Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit View all articles by this author Peter Leimgruber Smithsonian Institution View all articles by this author Anne Loison Savoie University Le Bourget-du-Lac View all articles by this author Ryan Long University of Idaho View all articles by this author Matthias Loretto University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna View all articles by this author Pascal Marchand Office français de la biodiversité View all articles by this author Erling Meisingset Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research View all articles by this author Jörg Melzheimer Leibniz Institut fur Zoo und Wildtierforschung eV View all articles by this author Kevin Monteith University of Wyoming View all articles by this author John Morgan University of California Santa Cruz View all articles by this author Rasmus Mohr Mortensen 0000-0003-4975-608X Aarhus Universitet View all articles by this author Rebekka Mueller Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV View all articles by this author Atle Mysterud Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, CEES View all articles by this author Astrid Olejarz Czech University of Life Sciences Prague View all articles by this author Teresa Oliveira CIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos View all articles by this author Manuela Panzacchi Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Ruben Portas 0000-0002-0686-0701 Leibniz Institut fur Zoo und Wildtierforschung eV View all articles by this author Hubert Potocnik 0000-0002-8189-1057 University of Ljubljana View all articles by this author Herbert Prins Wageningen University View all articles by this author Laura Prugh 0000-0001-9045-3107 University of California View all articles by this author Nathan Ranc Universite de Toulouse View all articles by this author Ralf Roeder Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV View all articles by this author Christer Rolandsen Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Cagan Sekercioglu University of Utah View all articles by this author Aldin Selimovic University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna View all articles by this author Rachel Smiley 0000-0001-7230-508X University of Wyoming View all articles by this author Erling Solberg Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Olav Strand Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Peter Strand 0000-0002-7485-037X Aarhus Universitet View all articles by this author Carole Toïgo Office francais de la biodiversite View all articles by this author Bram Van Moorter 0000-0002-3196-1993 Norwegian Institute for Nature Research View all articles by this author Tana Verzuh 0000-0003-4027-5415 University of Wyoming View all articles by this author Bettina Wachter Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research View all articles by this author Brittany Wagler University of Wyoming View all articles by this author Jesse Whittington Parks Canada, Banff National Park Resource Conservation View all articles by this author Christopher Wilmers University of California, Santa Cruz View all articles by this author George Wittemyer 0000-0003-1640-5355 Colorado State University View all articles by this author Christian Rutz University of St Andrews View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 647 views 463 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Jonathan Potts, Luca Börger, Marlee Tucker, et al. Understanding mammal avoidance of human settlements. Authorea . 13 October 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176037346.60955875/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! 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