| Summary: | Human-made infrastructures, particularly roads, pervade wildlife habitats. These roads, which extend to many regions in the world, can serve as both obstacles and pathways for wildlife. Our study focuses on the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), a cryptic and far-ranging predator, and its interaction with roads. We utilized snow tracking data from across Norway to examine the relationship between human presence and the utilization of roads by lynx. Our study incorporated lynx tracking data with details on road type, average daily traffic volume, building density, and data from Strava, an application for fitness and activity tracking. For each lynx track found on a road, we also determined the forest cover percentage in the surrounding area, providing an estimate of the available concealment. Our goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the anthropogenic context influencing the use of roads by lynx. Our findings suggest that lynx typically interact with roads located in areas with a high percentage of forest cover. However, the extent of forest cover did not influence the length lynx travelled on roads, nor did it affect the perception of other variables. Traffic volume and building density significantly reduced the length of lynx tracks on roads. These variables strongly influenced the distance travelled when they were absent or present in small amounts. An additional increase in traffic volume and building density did not heavily affect the distance travelled. Interestingly, the level of recreational activities, as indicated by Strava records in an area, did not influence lynx in their interaction with roads.
|
|---|