It's YOU!

To study how animals respond to human sounds, Ditmer and his team set up an experiment. First, they made recordings of people doing noisy things in nature, like hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Ditmer’s team placed speakers and cameras in wild areas of Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. Sensors detected when an animal was near, and speakers played the human-made sounds. The cameras captured what the animals did. 

How did they react? And which noises bothered animals most?

The scientists found that human sounds bothered some animals more than others. “Some ran immediately,” Ditmer says. “Others stood still, trying to figure out if the sound was a threat.” 

Elk and black bears were some of the animals that ran away quickly. Cougars, coyotes, and other large carnivores were less bothered. “The cougars could not have cared less!” says Ditmer.

The sound of big groups of hikers talking caused the most animals to run away. Animals were much less bothered by natural sounds, like birdcalls. Ditmer next plans to study how animals behave when they become used to human noises. 

This type of research can help forest managers make certain decisions, like where to build trails, that will not bother animals. People should enjoy nature, Ditmer says, but also try not to disturb wildlife. “Staying quiet lets you hear birds and other sounds you might miss.”