Does the presence of a human tracker affect the behaviour of radio-tracked wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus?

1. While the effect on animals of handling them and fitting them with radio tags has been investigated, little work has been reported testing the effect of the presence of a human observer tracking an animal.
2. The activity of wood mice fitted with radio collars and confined to a semifield pen was measured in the presence and the absence of a human observer. Free-ranging wood mice were radio tracked by using two protocols: ‘fixes’ taken periodically, and periods of continuous tracking.
3. There was no significant difference in any quantified aspect of the animals’ behaviour. This suggests that the presence of a human tracker has a negligible effect on the behaviour of wood mice.