Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are migratory ungulates and often their migratory routes intersect with human developments and urban areas. Development and urbanization have greatly impacted the migration routes of many migratory ungulates and have ultimately lead to the population decline of many of these animals. Mule deer do not adjust their migration routes to avoid developed areas, but rather adjust their migration timing by increasing their movement rate and decreasing their time in migration stopovers that are developed.

[Photo by Devin McHugh caption by Maggie Creamer]

Wyckoff, T. B., Sawyer, H., Albeke, S. E., Garman, S. L., & Kauffman, M. J. (2018). Evaluating the influence of energy and residential development on the migratory behavior of mule deer. Ecosphere, 9(2), e02113.