Low human disturbance levels alter movement patterns and induce behavioural changes in an apex predator

Abstract

Understanding how animals adapt to human-altered landscapes is critical for conserving large carnivores. Establishing thresholds for behavioural plasticity can improve management and minimise human-carnivore conflicts. We analysed GPS data from 116 tagged jaguars (Panthera onca) across their range to investigate their spatiotemporal and behavioural responses to different levels of human disturbance. Specifically, we evaluated spatial (movement) and temporal (diurnality) responses and foraging, resting, and other behavioural response in females and males. We also examined resource selection among jaguars exposed to low, moderate, and high levels of disturbance. Our findings reveal that human activity decreases the distance jaguars travel and reduces diurnality in females and males, with these effects being stronger in highly disturbed areas. Human presence significantly reduces the time spent foraging and resting in both sexes, while other behaviours remain less affected. Jaguars consistently select highly productive and habitat-diverse areas, avoiding human-accessible regions, regardless of the disturbance level. Interestingly, jaguars in highly disturbed areas avoid regions with high livestock density, favouring human-populated areas instead. Conversely, jaguars in low and moderately disturbed areas prefer livestock-rich regions while strongly avoiding human settlements. These results highlight jaguars' behavioural plasticity and adaptive strategies as they navigate human-modified landscapes. Understanding these complex behavioural adjustments provides valuable insights for future conservation efforts, including more effective strategies to manage jaguar populations while mitigating conflicts with humans across their distribution range. This study underscores the importance of targeted conservation interventions for large carnivores in increasingly anthropised environments.