Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns
Authors: Tucker Marlee A. , Schipper Aafke M. , Adams Tempe S. F. , Attias Nina , Avgar Tal , Babic Natarsha L. , Barker Kristin J. , Bastille-Rousseau Guillaume , Behr Dominik M. , Belant Jerrold L. , Beyer Dean E. , Blaum Niels , Blount J. David , Bockmühl Dirk , Pires Boulhosa Ricardo Luiz , Brown Michael B. , Buuveibaatar Bayarbaatar , Cagnacci Francesca , Calabrese Justin M. , Černe Rok , Chamaillé-Jammes Simon , Chan Aung Nyein , Chase Michael J. , Chaval Yannick , Chenaux-Ibrahim Yvette , Cherry Seth G. , Ćirović Duško , Çoban Emrah , Cole Eric K. , Conlee Laura , Courtemanch Alyson , Cozzi Gabriele , Davidson Sarah C. , DeBloois Darren , Dejid Nandintsetseg , DeNicola Vickie , Desbiez Arnaud L. J. , Douglas-Hamilton Iain , Drake David , Egan Michael , Eikelboom Jasper A.J. , Fagan William F. , Farmer Morgan J. , Fennessy Julian , Finnegan Shannon P. , Fleming Christen H. , Fournier Bonnie , Fowler Nicholas L. , Gantchoff Mariela G. , Garnier Alexandre , Gehr Benedikt , Geremia Chris , Goheen Jacob R. , Hauptfleisch Morgan L. , Hebblewhite Mark , Heim Morten , Hertel Anne G. , Heurich Marco , Hewison A. J. Mark , Hodson James , Hoffman Nicholas , Hopcraft J. Grant C. , Huber Djuro , Isaac Edmund J. , Janik Karolina , Ježek Miloš , Johansson Örjan , Jordan Neil R. , Kaczensky Petra , Kamaru Douglas N. , Kauffman Matthew J. , Kautz Todd M. , Kays Roland , Kelly Allicia P. , Kindberg Jonas , Krofel Miha , Kusak Josip , Lamb Clayton T. , LaSharr Tayler N. , Leimgruber Peter , Leitner Horst , Lierz Michael , Linnell John D.C. , Lkhagvaja Purevjav , Long Ryan A. , López-Bao José Vicente , Loretto Matthias-Claudio , Marchand Pascal , Martin Hans , Martinez Lindsay A. , McBride Roy T. , McLaren Ashley A.D. , Meisingset Erling , Melzheimer Joerg , Merrill Evelyn H. , Middleton Arthur D. , Monteith Kevin L. , Moore Seth A. , Van Moorter Bram , Morellet Nicolas , Morrison Thomas , Müller Rebekka , Mysterud Atle , Noonan Michael J , O’Connor David , Olson Daniel , Olson Kirk A. , Ortega Anna C. , Ossi Federico , Panzacchi Manuela , Patchett Robert , Patterson Brent R. , de Paula Rogerio Cunha , Payne John , Peters Wibke , Petroelje Tyler R. , Pitcher Benjamin J. , Pokorny Boštjan , Poole Kim , Potočnik Hubert , Poulin Marie-Pier , Pringle Robert M. , Prins Herbert H.T. , Ranc Nathan , Reljić Slaven , Robb Benjamin , Röder Ralf , Rolandsen Christer M. , Rutz Christian , Salemgareyev Albert R. , Samelius Gustaf , Sayine-Crawford Heather , Schooler Sarah , Şekercioğlu Çağan H. , Selva Nuria , Semenzato Paola , Sergiel Agnieszka , Sharma Koustubh , Shawler Avery L. , Signer Johannes , Silovský Václav , Silva João Paulo , Simon Richard , Smiley Rachel A. , Smith Douglas W. , Solberg Erling J. , Ellis-Soto Diego , Spiegel Orr , Stabach Jared , Stacy-Dawes Jenna , Stahler Daniel R. , Stephenson John , Stewart Cheyenne , Strand Olav , Sunde Peter , Svoboda Nathan J. , Swart Jonathan , Thompson Jeffrey J. , Toal Katrina L. , Uiseb Kenneth , VanAcker Meredith C. , Velilla Marianela , Verzuh Tana L. , Wachter Bettina , Wagler Brittany L. , Whittington Jesse , Wikelski Martin , Wilmers Christopher C. , Wittemyer George , Young Julie K. , Zięba Filip , Zwijacz-Kozica Tomasz , Huijbregts Mark A. J. , Mueller Thomas 
Published: June 2023

COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions. However, under strict lockdowns 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting increased landscape permeability. Animals’ 1-hour 95th percentile displacements declined by 12% and animals were 36% closer to roads in areas of high human footprint, indicating reduced avoidance during lockdowns. Overall, lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide.