Fear on the Landscape: How human activity shapes wildlife habitat use in protected areas in Tasmania

Laura M. Cardona , Barry W. Brook , Jessie C. Buettel

The growing enthusiasm for outdoor recreation has prompted questions about the effects of different forms of human activity on the habitat use of both predators and prey. Here, we used time-to-event camera trap data from a large-scale survey in Tasmanian protected areas to investigate the influence of motorised (vehicles) and non-motorised (hikers, joggers, and cyclists) recreation on wildlife return times - the time between consecutive detections of the same species – during the warm and cold season. Specifically, we focused on the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), the apex predator in this system, and four common herbivore species: brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), Tasmanian pademelons (Thylogale billardierii), Bennett’s wallabies (Notamacropus rufogriseus), and bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus tasmaniensis). We found that more motorised and non-motorised events delayed Tasmanian devil return times in both seasons. For herbivores, all species showed longer return times under motorised activity irrespective of season, whereas non-motorised activity had no significant effect on wallabies during the cold season. These results indicate that predator and prey perceive both forms of human activity as a source of risk. This study demonstrates the utility of time-to-event data from camera traps for testing the influences of different disturbance sources on wildlife. These insights are vital for managers striving to balance public access with conservation goals in protected areas.