Lateral posture biases, habituation, and risk monitoring by wild ungulates.

摘要: ABSTRACTIn protected areas, wildlife may lose their fear of humans, and prey species use human-disturbed areas to escape natural predators. Lateral bedding posture bias reflect difference in monitoring these changing patterns risk stimuli. I studied wild elk Banff Jasper National Parks, Canada, where habituated animals enter into conflicts with abandon migration, negatively affect entire ecosystems. recorded lateral postures differences detection distances when were approached. Elk had leftward biases facing away from the herd toward presumptive direction potential predation, but rightward towards conspecifics. found migratory stronger than residing year-round near humans. These results show are context dependent on risk, as risks change, change well. provide important insights for management spec...