Data from: Revealing the effects of anthropogenic structures on the spatial distribution of migratory wildebeest

The increasing interaction between wildlife and humans, both within and
outside protected areas, highlights the importance of understanding how
migratory animals respond to anthropogenic disturbance. To effectively
safeguard migratory populations, we must understand their habitat use,
particularly in response to the expanding presence of human-made
structures in their environments. In this work, we employed a multiscale
step selection model within a Bayesian framework to explore the impact of
human-made structures, specifically buildings identified from satellite
imagery, on the movement patterns and habitat preferences of migratory
wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) in the Serengeti. Our findings reveal
that wildebeest tend to avoid areas near these structures, even in the
core of the protected area where tourist infrastructure is the most
prevalent. Although buildings do not entirely exclude wildebeest, they do
reduce the amount of time wildebeest spend in their vicinity. Individuals
weigh multiple trade-offs in deciding whether to remain or move during
migration, and if animals forego access to key resources in the areas
around buildings, this could lead to reduced fitness and demographic
consequences that may not be immediately apparent. We further find that
increasing numbers of co-located buildings have a diminishing rather than
a compounding effect on the spatial distribution of wildebeest, meaning
that clustering buildings away from key grazing areas could be a
beneficial strategy. In light of these findings, we recommend careful
regulation and spatial planning of infrastructure development within
ecosystems that considers the nuanced effects human-made structures can
have on the behavior and habitat use of migratory animals.27-Apr-2026 --