How Animals Navigate Our Changing Planet
On our planet, at any one moment, billions of animals are on the move. From migratory birds, insects, marine mammals, and sharks connecting distant continents and seas, to bees and other insects pollinating our crops, their journeys form the circulatory system of a healthy planet 3 .
Animals Tracked
Species Studied
Continents Covered
Understanding animal movement has never been more urgent. As human expansion and climate change rapidly reshape landscapes and seascapes, scientists are in a race against time to decode how animals travel—and how to protect them on their journeys. Groundbreaking research is now revealing that the very future of wildlife conservation depends on mapping these invisible pathways.
The study of animal movement, known as movement ecology, seeks to answer fundamental questions: why, how, where, and when animals move 2 . In recent years, the field has been transformed by an explosion of data from high-resolution GPS tracking and biologging devices, which are like Fitbits for wildlife 2 3 .
The latest research goes beyond simply plotting locations on a map. A 2024 study revealed that almost all existing models of animal movement have a critical flaw: they only account for two-dimensional movement, ignoring the fact that animals like mountain lions and whales constantly move up and down in space 1 .
"When things go straight up, they also move apart," explains Thomas Meyer, a geodesy expert. This phenomenon, related to the Earth's curvature, means scientists have been miscalculating how much energy animals expend during their daily activities 1 .
| Tool/Technology | Primary Function | Real-World Application |
|---|---|---|
| GPS Satellite Tags | Records precise location data at regular intervals | Tracking long-distance migrations of whales and sharks 2 |
| Biologging Sensors | Records physiological and environmental data | Measuring energy expenditure during flight or swimming 2 |
| Digital Elevation Models | Creates 3D terrain mapping | Accounting for vertical movement in mountain lion research 1 |
| Agent-Based Modeling | Simulates individual decision-making in a group | Studying collective escape maneuvers in bird flocks 2 |
| High-Speed Videography | Captures rapid movement for kinematic analysis | Quantifying joint angles and gait in walking insects 5 |
One of the most comprehensive movement studies to date, published in September 2025, analyzed GPS data from more than 1,200 animals across 34 species and six continents . The research team, which included biologists, physicists, and statisticians, applied physics-based models to map "routeways"—the travel lines that animals reuse.
Researchers compiled GPS satellite-telemetry tracks from 484 individuals across six marine megafauna species, along with terrestrial carnivore data from over 1,200 animals globally .
Using physics-based models, the team mapped precise travel lines that animals reused frequently.
Scientists compared movement patterns between taxonomic families, specifically canids (dogs) and felids (cats), while accounting for variables like habitat and body size.
For marine species, researchers overlaid movement data with maps of human stressors including coastal development, shipping traffic, fishing effort, and pollution 2 .
Distribution of species tracked in the global study
The findings revealed a stunning divergence in movement strategies that dates back 45 million years, when cats and dogs split into separate species .
Canids—wolves, coyotes, and foxes—follow dense, predictable paths across their territories, displaying 15-33% more routeways than felids, even when living in the same areas . This methodical path-following behavior likely stems from their pack hunting strategies, omnivorous diets, and stronger spatial working memory.
In contrast, felids such as cougars, leopards, and lynx move in a more scattered, unpredictable pattern. As solitary hunters and strict carnivores, their success depends on stealth and opportunism rather than predictable patrol routes.
| Characteristic | Canids (Wolves, Coyotes, Foxes) | Felids (Cougars, Leopards, Lynx) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Movement Pattern | Predictable, path-following | Unpredictable, scattered |
| Social Structure | Highly social, pack hunters | Solitary, individual hunters |
| Diet | Omnivores | Strict carnivores |
| Spatial Behavior | Strong spatial working memory | Different spatial navigation strategy |
| Number of Routeways | 15-33% more routeways | Fewer, more diffuse routeways |
Comparison of movement patterns between canids and felids
These movement patterns have profound implications for conservation in the human-dominated landscapes of the Anthropocene—the current geological age where human activity significantly influences the environment.
Canids' reliance on predictable routes makes them particularly vulnerable to roads and other barriers, but also means they're more likely to use purpose-built wildlife crossings .
Felids' diffuse movements make them harder to protect with single structures, though this flexibility may aid their hunting efficiency in smaller home ranges.
A study of dragonfly migrations revealed that Pantala flavescens relies on specific stopover 'stepping stones' to refuel during its transoceanic migration 2 .
| Threat Category | Example | Impacted Species |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Infrastructure | Oil and gas platforms | Whales, whale sharks |
| Maritime Traffic | Shipping lanes | Blue whales, sea turtles |
| Fishing Activity | Commercial fishing effort | Tiger sharks, sea turtles |
| Pollution | Underwater noise, light pollution | All tracked species |
| Coastal Development | Habitat destruction | Turtle nesting sites |
"As habitats are being lost around the world, studies such as this one highlight that species behave very differently, which will make some more vulnerable than others to the same habitat loss. This kind of information will help us to make better conservation decisions."
Despite technological advances, much movement ecology research remains descriptive rather than predictive 3 . Scientists now emphasize the need to shift toward mechanistic models that can forecast how animals will respond to novel environmental conditions.
"We cannot rely on correlative approaches," says Sara Gomez of CNRS Montpellier. "We must incorporate biological mechanisms into our models, starting from first principles of animal movements and decision making" 3 .
Experimental approaches—such as tracking animals before and after habitat restoration—offer promising ways to test these predictions and refine conservation interventions 6 .
This predictive approach is vital for designing effective conservation strategies, from managing protected areas to planning wildlife corridors.
The silent pathways carved by billions of moving creatures every day are more than just biological curiosities—they are the lifelines of functioning ecosystems. In learning to read these maps of movement, we may find the guidance needed to navigate a future where both wildlife and humanity can thrive.