Wind Turbines Affect Behavior of Desert Tortoise Predators

How a wind energy facility is designed can influence the behavior of animal predators and their prey, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Scientists placed motion-activated cameras facing the entrances of 46 active desert tortoise burrows in a wind energy facility near Palm Springs, California. Video recordings showed that visits to burrows from five predators -- bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes, black bears and western spotted skunks -- increased closer to dirt roads, and decreased closer to wind turbines.

Habitat disturbance caused by wind energy facilities creates unique challenges and opportunities for wildlife. Although fragmented landscapes may make some large carnivores -- like cougars and bears -- more vulnerable to population decline, some small- to medium-sized animals -- like coyotes and foxes -- expand their habitat to include areas that have been changed by humans.

“These findings could be helpful in assisting managers to design future wind energy facilities with species in mind,” said lead author Mickey Agha, a UC Davis graduate student studying ecology with Professor Brian Todd. “There may be benefits to adding space between turbines and increasing the number of dirt roads, to potentially provide habitat for sensitive terrestrial wildlife.”

Continue reading at USGS.

Photo via USGS.