Importance of Hidden Markov Models in Animal Behavior Research

Hidden Markov models play a crucial role in studying animal behavior by allowing researchers to infer and analyze different behavioral states based on movement patterns observed in animals. These models help in identifying states like foraging, resting, and transit, among others, from the collected tracking data. The flexibility of hidden Markov models enables researchers to correlate animal behavior with environmental factors and address complex ecological questions by modeling the temporal dynamics of animal behavior.