The behavior of animals enables them to better confront a constantly changing environment. Specifically, the behavior of animals modifies the environmental conditions an animal experiences in a manner that is expected to improve their fitness. This can be achieved in two main ways: (a) By shifting (moving) from a poorer to a better environment, such as moving to improve foraging efficiency, safety or thermoregulation. (b) By modifying the present environment, for example – attracting mates using various signaling techniques or increasing vigilance if perceived risk increases. Most animals possess a rich portfolio of behavioral responses, which may range in their flexibility from being entirely fixed (i.e. the same behavior will be displayed regardless of the environmental conditions) to being completely flexible (i.e. the behavioral response will change at the same rate as the environment). The level of behavioral flexibility will be dictated by the animal's evolutionary history, past experience, and genetic, physical and physiological constraints.

Human-Induced Rapid Environmental Change (HIREC) is expected to elicit a behavioral response in the animals experiencing this change. However, because these changes may be novel and rapid in evolutionary terms and were not previously experienced by the animal, it may either: fail to recognize the change, fail to respond, respond inappropriately or respond in a manner that initially or seemingly is beneficial but might have long-term negative consequences. The two chapters in this section address conservation concerns stemming from the behavioral responses of animals as their environment is rapidly modified by anthropogenic activity. The first chapter addresses problems stemming from behavioral rigidity resulting in an inappropriate response to novel stimuli, and gives conservation practitioners the means to identify the source of the behavioral rigidity and manage it accordingly. The second chapter addresses plastic responses to anthropogenic changes, their benefits to wildlife, their usefulness as a management tool and their possible long-term negative consequences.