Wild animals do not all react to human activity in the same way.
A new study from Botswana shows that some species are much more cautious around people than others, which affects how they move through landscapes shared with humans.
The research found that elephants are far more likely to avoid people than animals such as baboons, antelopes, or waterbucks.
The study was led by ecologist Marlee Tucker from Radboud University and published in the journal Integrative Conservation.
The research team wanted to understand how different animals use wildlife corridors—areas that allow animals to move between habitats—when those corridors pass through farmland or urban environments.
To investigate this, the scientists used camera traps placed along corridors in Botswana.
These motion-activated cameras recorded the movements of ten species of African mammals, including elephants, baboons, hyenas, impala, kudu, sable antelope, warthogs, and waterbucks.
The researchers then examined when these animals traveled through the corridors and how their movements overlapped with human activity.
The results showed that many animals try to avoid people by changing the time of day when they move.
Across both agricultural and urban landscapes, most wildlife used the corridors mainly at night or during the early morning and evening hours. These times tend to have less human activity, which reduces the chance of encounters.
However, the way animals behaved varied greatly from species to species. Some animals seemed more comfortable around humans than others.
Baboons, hyenas, impala, kudu, sable antelope, and waterbuck had a higher chance of moving through corridors at the same time as people in agricultural areas. In contrast, elephants strongly avoided being active when humans were present.
Interestingly, elephants were also more likely to travel through agricultural corridors than urban ones. The study found they were about 22 percent more likely to use corridors that ran through farmland. Meanwhile, warthogs and waterbucks were more commonly seen in corridors located in urban areas.
These differences highlight an important challenge for wildlife conservation. Wildlife corridors are often created to help animals move safely between habitats, but the study shows that not all animals use them in the same way.
According to Tucker, conservation planners need to consider how each species responds to human activity. Some animals will adjust their behavior to avoid people, while others appear less affected by human presence.
As Africa’s population continues to grow and more land is developed for agriculture and cities, understanding these differences becomes increasingly important. If corridors are not designed carefully, some species may stop using them altogether.
The researchers say that protecting wildlife movement routes will require flexible solutions that account for the unique behavior of different animals. By tailoring corridor design to the needs of multiple species, conservationists can help ensure these important pathways remain effective in a rapidly changing world.
