Reactions of chamois to human disturbance in Berchtesgaden National Park

Abstract

The objective of this study was to test whether the source and frequence of disturbance result in different behavioural responses of Chamois and if practical management guidelines can be drawn from these findings. The results clearly indicate that type and frequency of the disturbance have a strong influence on the behavioural response and that the disturbance tolerance varies with season, time of the day, sex and group size. Disturbances from flying resulted in a much stronger response than disturbances from the ground, and the response increased with velocity and/or noise level of the disturbance source. In areas with frequent disturbances the behavioural response was reduced when compared with remote areas, indicating habituation effects. While distance at first reaction and flight distance varied with disturbance intensity, the length of the flight path was not influenced by the disturbance type and frequency. Habitat use was also affected by disturbances: post-disturbance habitat types were mainly rocks and forests indicating a shift in habitat selection towards inaccessible habitat types or habitat types with good cover.