Changes in wildlife activity patterns in response to war in Ukraine

Svitlana Kudrenko; Richard Bischof; Andreas Zedrosser; Nuria Selva; Kateryna Korepanova; Denys Vyshnevskiy; Martin Gahbauer; Serhii Obrizan; Serhii Domashevskiy; Oleksandr Borsuk; Alona Varukha; Marco Heurich

doi:10.1126/science.aed1493

Changes in wildlife activity patterns in response to war in Ukraine

S Svitlana Kudrenko (Frankfurt Zoological Society, Frankfurt, Germany.) R Richard Bischof (Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.) A Andreas Zedrosser (Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.) N Nuria Selva (Estación Biológica de Doñana Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Sevilla, Spain.) K Kateryna Korepanova (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) D Denys Vyshnevskiy (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) M Martin Gahbauer (Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany.) S Serhii Obrizan (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) S Serhii Domashevskiy (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) O Oleksandr Borsuk (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) A Alona Varukha (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, Ivankiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine.) M Marco Heurich (Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.)

Abstract

Conflict zones are inherently hazardous and inaccessible for researchers, which results in a knowledge gap about the immediate effects of armed conflicts on the environment, particularly wildlife. We used camera-trap detections to investigate the impact of armed conflict on wildlife activity patterns before, during, and after the Russian occupation of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (Ukraine) in 2022 and compared it to the same period in 2021. Mammal species responded to armed conflict through immediate behavioral adjustments, including reduced activity during night and on dates when armed-conflict activities intensified. Our results provide insight into wildlife’s behavioral responses to armed conflict in real time and underscore the potential of camera trapping to quantify the ecological effects of war.

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Article Details

Journal Science

Volume / Issue Vol. 392, Issue 6804

Published June 18, 2026

Pages 1282-1286

DOI 10.1126/science.aed1493

ISSN 0036-8075

Publisher American Association for the Advancement of Science

Journal Info

Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science

ISSN: 0036-8075 Social Sciences

Authors (12)

S

Svitlana Kudrenko

Frankfurt Zoological Society, Frankfurt, Germany.

R

Richard Bischof

Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.

A

Andreas Zedrosser

Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.

N

Nuria Selva

Estación Biológica de Doñana Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Sevilla, Spain.

K

Kateryna Korepanova