Flight responses of eastern gray kangaroos to benign or harmful human behavior. Issue 24 (26th November 2019) - Austin, Caitlin M.
Abstract: Globally, wilderness is being converted for rural and agricultural land use. In countryside landscapes, many habitat structures remain intact, providing suitable habitat for wildlife species that can accurately assess novel risks and develop tolerance to benign disturbances. Associative learning that promotes avoidance and also facilitates desensitization to benign disturbance is key to persisting in these landscapes. Conversely, learning to distinguish and avoid negative interactions with humans, like hunting, is vital. To determine if eastern gray kangaroos are capable of learning from previous interactions with humans, we tested the flight responses of wild kangaroos which have previously experienced either low or high frequencies of harmful and benign encounters with humans. We found that eastern gray kangaroos rapidly habituated to benign disturbance as there was no significant difference in assessment distance between groups that previously experienced low or high frequencies of disturbance. The threat of harmful disturbances was not as quickly learnt, as groups that experienced low frequencies of harmful disturbance delayed flight longer than those experiencing frequent harm. We found that the influence of environmental and group parameters on a kangaroo's decision to flee depended on the intent and frequency of previous interactions with humans. Our study indicates that kangaroos are learning from previous encounters with humans, correctly assessing novel risks which may be contributing to their persistence in countryside landscapes. Abstract : Countryside landscapes provide novel resources and opportunities for species that can accurately assess the complexity of human activities, distinguishing between benign and harmful disturbance. This study found that eastern grey kangaroos are learning from previous interactions with humans; habituating to benign disturbances and perceiving humans as threatening when previous interactions have been harmful. Adaption to anthropogenic disturbances may be contributing to their persistence in these countryside landscapes.