Project R-14331

Studying wildlife behaviour by combining camera traps and biologgers in a human dominated environment (Research)

Humans and wildlife increasingly interact in the current Anthropocene, resulting in both positive and negative consequences. Generally it is thought that where some species adapt their behaviour by spending more time in peaceful, less-favoured habitats or shifting their activity to nocturnal hours to limit their contact with humans, others seek human dominated habitats for artificial food resources or to escape predation or hunting pressure. These behavioural changes can have severe consequences, such as increased agricultural losses, traffic collisions and property intrusions in the neighbouring urban areas as well as ecological imbalances, …. We will therefore study wildlife behaviour in the Hoge Kempen National Park (Belgium) through a conventional camera trapping network, ecological biologgers and vegetation surveys. Camera traps have become cost-effective, non-invasive monitoring tools for population-wide occupancy, density or behavioural modelling, among others, whereas in movement ecology, the current 'golden era of biologging' allows individual-level assessment within the Movement Ecology Framework. By combining camera traps research and biologgers in state of the art Species Distribution Models, we aim to improve our in-depth understanding of wildlife behaviour in relation to its surroundings and human activities, with the potential of improving guidelines for conservation and management policies.

01 October 2023 - 30 September 2027