New research reveals: Danish wolves adapt their activity to avoid humans
In Denmark, wolves have developed a special daily rhythm to avoid contact with humans. According to a new study from the Natural History Museum in Aarhus and Aarhus University, wolves in Denmark are among the most nocturnal in the world. Through monitoring with wildlife cameras, researchers from the two institutions have mapped the wolves’ activity patterns. The results show that wolves are primarily active at night. This is not only to hunt their prey such as deer, but also to reduce the chance of encountering humans. Wolves are six to seven times more active in the dark compared to during the day. Unlike wolves in other parts of the world, which are often more diurnal, the dense population and limited amount of remote areas in Denmark force Danish wolves to alter their natural behavior. Kent Olsen, research and collections manager at the Natural History Museum in Aarhus, explains: “When Danish wolves find it difficult to avoid humans in space, they can instead avoid us in time. It is therefore very interesting that we can now demonstrate how wolves adapt their daily rhythm to avoid humans.” The new research provides a unique insight into how wolves adapt to human activities and underscores the need to understand animal behavior in a world with increasing human activity and settlement.