Have you been hiking a favourite trail lately and noticed a fair number of prey animals about? Well, it is not your natural personality, or musk deodorant, or happenchance at work.
A researcher at the University of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, has found a correlation between the number of humans who use a trail and the number of predators who are active in the area.
Using digital camera traps around trails in the Canadian Rockies, the researcher found that, if more than 18 humans used the trail each day, predators disappeared in significant numbers. More than 32 humans per day and the number of prey increased.
The findings are all together not rocket science but do help to support the notion that wild predators, such as bears, are wary of humans, and will shy away from any meeting if given the chance. Knowing that an area is frequented by humans will register with them and they will wander off to areas where human contact is less likely.
Prey animals do not associate humans with predatory actions and are less concerned about ending their days on bone china. Before all you deer hunters head for your rifle lockers and book a flight to the Rockies, the researcher also found that prey animals either can read signs or calendars that advise about the opening of hunting season, or some internal mechanism causes them to migrate away from the area during open season.
So, if you are looking to see friendly wildlife, and at the same time not be viewed from the bushes as a main course, find 17 friends to go hiking with.
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