Lions and hyenas behave oddly when around humans: Study

Over the last few years, facilities such as zoos or national parks have increased human-animal interaction. A team of researchers studied whether these increased interactions had any effects on the behavior of the wild animals. They monitored the routine of lions and hyenas from Etosha, a national park in Namibia, to find the answer. The team published their assessments in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation. The outcome showed that there were indeed some deliberate alterations made by the creatures to account for human presence in their surroundings. Researchers are hopeful that the findings will help authorities to facilitate improved arrangements that take into consideration the well-being of both humans and animals. 

The Impact of Human Presence

The team tracked 14 lions and 9 hyenas with GPS collars for around eight years from 2016 to 2024, according to Earth.com. Researchers focused on their behavior across seasons and what factors could be influencing them. From the observations, they evaluated that both animals tend to avoid tourist traffic. In wetter seasons, both the animals traversed the primary and secondary roads in Etosha. However, during the dry seasons when tourist traffic increased, both the animals showed less inclination towards the busier ones. Lions went near only the secondary roads with low traffic and access to waterholes. Hyenas, who are known for their avoidant nature towards humans, avoided both primary and secondary roads. 

Increased interactions make certain animals tolerant towards human presence. They seem to get used to tourists gawking at them as well as vehicles. Past examinations in the Etosha park have traced this behavioral pattern in elephants, impalas, and hyenas. This tolerance has also been observed in some lions of the park. This behavior could cause some dangerous consequences in the future. If these animals begin approaching humans, as they become normal to them, there is a possibility that incidents unfold that hurt either one or both parties. These behavioral patterns should be taken into consideration by park managers while designing road layouts and visitor guidelines, to ensure everybody's safety.

Other Factors Affecting Animal Behavior

The assessment also figured out that people weren't the only factors impacting the movement of animals, according to the University of Georgia. Hunting and hydration were also cited as possible reasons. In their daily life, lions were mostly found near waterholes. Their seeking of a waterhole could be to fulfill functions like hunting or drinking. Hyenas did not share this affinity for waterholes.

Researchers think it could be because their water requirements got fulfilled by their prey, or because they wanted to avoid competition with lions. Another noteworthy difference was that lions liked to move in areas with less plant coverage than hyenas. This finding was a bit surprising for experts because lions are known to be ambush predators who shock their prey by suddenly pouncing on them. This style of hunting aligns with dense vegetation, and not less plant coverage.

One explanation for this behavior could be that lions' prey are aware of their tactic. "Sometimes, if the vegetation is really dense, lions aren’t able to hunt as successfully," Jessy Patterson, lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate in UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, shared. "Also, herbivores are more fearful in a landscape with large predators. They know that if they're near these areas of vegetation, lions can hide and ambush them. So, herbivores may be avoiding those areas for that reason, which means lions have to go hunt more in the open areas." Experts found hyenas frequenting places with more tree cover, possibly to take a break from the heat and cool off in the shade. 

Insights from the Study

Through the assessment, researchers wanted to figure out how animals were using their space, amidst interaction with humans. The team is not critical of tourism, but believes that the interaction should be analyzed to create a better environment and future for the animals. "The message here is not that tourism is bad. These large predators need large areas to roam and access prey, and tourism is a huge driver of many economies," said Jim Beasley, co-author of the study and a professor in UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Large spaces like those in Etosha are ideal for such interactions, as there is not a lot of overlap between animals and humans in such areas. These noted behavioral patterns should be taken into consideration to ensure that the spaces being used by these animals do not have much human presence.