Uncontrolled Experiments
Beyond intentional displacements, other management actions can serve as
uncontrolled experiments for learning. For example, aversive
conditioning is routinely used in wildlife conflict management and could
provide guidance on the mode of learning of animals
(Bejderet al. 2009) and may provide data on the efficacy of different
deterrence systems that vary in intensity and/or frequency. For
example,
Ronconi & Cassady St. Clair (2006) showed that presence-activated
deterrent systems were more useful than were randomly activated systems
for limiting the landing of waterfowl on tailing ponds from oil
extraction. Likewise, fences involving bee hives were more likely to
turn away elephants than were bush fences (King et al. 2011) and
problem elk repeatedly chased by humans and dogs stayed further from
town
(Klopperset al. 2005).
Rapid changes in habitat can also serve as uncontrolled experiments. For
example, because ungulates will select areas recently affected by fires
(Allredet al. 2011), monitoring the movement of animals in fire-prone
systems could help understand how these animals learn about and navigate
to novel habitats. Studying movement in the vicinity of new obstacles
(e.g., pipelines and roads) and passageways (e.g., road-crossing
structures) could help to understand how animals change their spatial
patterns as they learn to circumvent these barriers and make use of new
structures (McDonald & Cassady St Clair 2004, Ford and Clevenger 2018).