Prediction 2: Anthropogenic factors like human population
density, road density and land use land cover types affect the movement
of large carnivores
In a country like India, humans are rapidly altering landscapes to make
them conducive for development. Activities like urbanization of towns,
conversion of forests to grazing land or agricultural expansion,
expansion of transportation networks, etc. are rising and may affect
drastically, the survival of large carnivores in small refuges like PAs.
We hypothesized factors like human density, road density and land use
patterns affect the movement of large carnivores. Across species and
habitats, these variables would vary and pose various levels of risks
and benefits (Phillips et al., 2004). We hypothesize that large
carnivores will respond differently to the level of disturbance
depending upon their ability to negotiate human pressures.