The team deployed 43 digital camera traps at randomly selected locations along roads and trails within a research area on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in southwest Alberta from April to November of 2008. Large predator animals in the study area consisted of wolves, black bears, grizzly bears and cougars. While the large herbivore species monitored were moose, elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer and cattle.
They found that humans and prey species co-occurred together more often than humans and predators at camera sites, and that predators and prey were less likely to be in the same area if there was heavy human traffic. Their results showed that prey were three times more abundant on roads and trails used by more than 32 humans a day, but predators were less abundant on roads and trails used by more than 18 humans a day.
Two legs good!
Prey are much more abundant than predators in general.
You have to be careful around those cameras. If you doubt me, then you should watch “Enemy of the state”.
Two legs, easier to run away from if you are prey.
Humans bring food, and leave it lying around, in trash cans, etc.
We pretty much kill any large predator (at least in North America) in our territory. There used to be cash bounties on everything from cougars to coyotes. I’m thinking the large predators stay away from experience.
Humans perhaps err in considering themselves and prey to be disjoint sets.
Predators afraid of humans … prey like this very much!!!
So “Man’s Best Friend” was just looking for some protection…I knew there was something in it for them…
I’ve been followed by deer and mountain goats wanting to drink my piss. Something about there not being enough salt in their environment/diet so they supplement it by drinking piss.