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H H De Iongh - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Determining the risk of predator attacks around protected areas: the case of Bardia National Park, Nepal
2020Co-Authors: Upadhyaya S.k., Musters C.j.m., Lamichhane B.r., G.r. De ,snoo, Dhakal M., H H De IonghAbstract:In this study we determined the probability of predator attacks on Livestock around Bardia National Park, Nepal. We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore the patterns and factors affecting Livestock losses in four administrative sectors of the Park's buffer zone. We developed models to investigate the overall probability of Livestock loss, economic damage caused, and the respondents’ attitudes towards wildlife. The probability of leopard attacks on Livestock was much higher (85% of all Livestock lost to depredation) than that of tiger attacks (8%), and the northern sector experienced the highest loss of Livestock (50% modelled probability of Livestock loss) in the buffer zone. Livestock loss was significantly related to the number of Livestock owned by respondents, their ethnic group, and village distance to the Park boundary. Economic damage was influenced by buffer zone sector, number of Livestock owned, and distance to the Park boundary. Conservation attitudes depended on respondents’ knowledge of wildlife, levels of education and self-sufficiency, and the probability of Livestock being killed by leopards. Respondents who were male, highly educated and self-sufficient were most likely to support conservation. Tigers are tolerated based on religious beliefs, and these cultural values, together with the sharing of conservation benefits, facilitate conservation. Leopards, however, are not tolerated in the same way and are the most damaging predators
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wild versus domestic prey in the diet of reintroduced tigers panthera tigris in the Livestock dominated multiple use forests of panna tiger reserve india
PLOS ONE, 2017Co-Authors: S S Kolipaka, W L M Tamis, M Van T Zelfde, Gerard Persoon, H H De IonghAbstract:: Grazing Livestock in openly accessible areas is a common practice in the multiple-use forests of India; however, its compatibility with the reintroduction of tigers to these areas requires examination. Here, we investigated the diet of tigers in a Livestock-dominated multiple-use buffer zone of the Panna Tiger Reserve, India. We hypothesised that the presence of feral cattle, along with open-access grazing practices in multiple-use forests, would increase the incidence of predation on Livestock by tigers, even when wild prey are available. We used generalised linear models to test whether predation of Livestock versus wild animals was influenced by (1) the sex and age class of tigers, (2) season, and (3) the distance of prey from the core-zone boundary of the reserve. Overall, sub-adult tigers and male tigers killed more Livestock than wild prey, even when wild prey was available. In the winter and rainy seasons Livestock were killed in higher numbers in the buffer zone than in summers, this may be because of the seasonally changing Livestock herding patterns in the area. Further, with increasing distance from the core-zone boundary, all tigers killed more Livestock, possibly because Livestock were more easily accessible than wild prey. Our results show that open-access and unregulated Livestock grazing is not currently compatible with large carnivore conservation in the same landscape. Such practices will lead to an increase in negative tiger-human-Livestock interactions. In conclusion, we suggest the need to encourage locals to corral valuable cattle, leaving feral/unwanted Livestock for tigers. This simple strategy would benefit both local inhabitants and tiger conservation in the multiple-use forests of India.
Hans Bauer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Livestock depredation of the spotted hyena crocuta crocuta in southern tigray northern ethiopia
International journal of ecology and environmental sciences, 2010Co-Authors: Gidey Yirga, Hans BauerAbstract:A household survey was conducted with an intention to quantify Livestock losses resulted from depredation of the spotted hyena ( Crocuta crocuta ), diseases and theft in southern Tigray, Ethiopia from October to December, 2009. Our intensive survey canvassed 1100 randomly selected households from two sub-districts (Debri and Felege Selam) of the Endreta district. Respondents were asked questions relating number of Livestock owned, Livestock management, number of Livestock lost to predation by hyenas, diseases and theft between 2005 and 2009, human attacks and vulnerable Livestock species to hyena predation. To quantify the economic cost of Livestock lost, the species, age, number and sex of Livestock losses were recorded and estimates of current average market values of these classes of Livestock species were obtained from traders. Values were translated in to US$ at the exchange rate of the time of the study. Surveyed households reported losses of 1039 domestic animals due to predation, disease and theft over the last five years. The average annual depredation resulted in an estimated economic loss of about US$ 5401. Hyena attacks on Livestock represent an economic concern for Livestock owners which were blamed for 11.8% of all reported Livestock losses. The total estimated economic loss caused by diseases, theft and depredation was about US$ 229,104, representing 85.5%, 2.7% and 11.8%, respectively. On average, US$ 45,820 per year (US$ 125 per day) has been lost. Hyena attacks reported were not in proportion to the relative abundance of Livestock species. Donkeys were significantly more likely to be reported as lost to hyena predation, representing 67.8%, followed by goats (16.7%) and sheep (10.5%). Our results suggested that simple improvements in Livestock management practices would help mitigate human-hyena conflicts.
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Prey of Peri-urban Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in Southeastern Tigray,
2010Co-Authors: Gidey Yirga, Hans BauerAbstract:In Tigray, regional state of Ethiopia, spotted hyenas are sources of conflict with Livestock-owning people. The present study was conducted in southeastern Tigray to investigate diet and economic impact of hyena predation on Livestock. To obtain information about the actual diet of hyenas, hyena droppings were collected in the field. A total of 180 hyena droppings were collected, washed, hairs extracted and were then compared with a pr ey species hair reference coll ection. Economic impact of l ivestock predation was investigated through household survey with randomly selected households. The species, age, number and sex of Livestock killed by spott ed hyena were recorded. Annual loss due to Livestock depredation was 2.2 per household in the village, with an estimated total commercial value of about US$ 6,116. Hyenas attack Livestock exclusively at night and solitary. Of the respondents 97.5% indicated predation exclusively solitary. Attacks were both day and night times preferring small Livestock like goats and sheep as well as donkey. Over 97.5% of respondents in the village reported that they faced problems of depredation. The extent of the loss varies greatly between farmers. 97.87% of the droppings were identified of which donkey; cattle, sheep, goats, mule and horse accounted 84.66%. Predation on Livestock seemed to be of great economic importance and was more a problem in the village. Spotted hyena preyed mainly on domestic animals may be due to the reduction of wild prey species in the area.
Kulbhushansingh R. Suryawanshi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Relative influence of wild prey and Livestock abundance on carnivore-caused Livestock predation.
Ecology and evolution, 2020Co-Authors: Gopal Khanal, Charudutt Mishra, Kulbhushansingh R. SuryawanshiAbstract:Conservation conflict over Livestock depredation is one of the key drivers of large mammalian carnivore declines worldwide. Mitigating this conflict requires strategies informed by reliable knowledge of factors influencing Livestock depredation. Wild prey and Livestock abundance are critical factors influencing the extent of Livestock depredation. We compared whether the extent of Livestock predation by snow leopards Panthera uncia differed in relation to densities of wild prey, Livestock, and snow leopards at two sites in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal. We used camera trap-based spatially explicit capture-recapture models to estimate snow leopard density; double-observer surveys to estimate the density of their main prey species, the blue sheep Pseudois nayaur; and interview-based household surveys to estimate Livestock population and number of Livestock killed by snow leopards. The proportion of Livestock lost per household was seven times higher in Upper Dolpa, the site which had higher snow leopard density (2.51 snow leopards per 100 km2) and higher Livestock density (17.21 Livestock per km2) compared to Lower Dolpa (1.21 snow leopards per 100 km2; 4.5 Livestock per km2). The wild prey density was similar across the two sites (1.81 and 1.57 animals per km2 in Upper and Lower Dolpa, respectively). Our results suggest that Livestock depredation level may largely be determined by the abundances of the snow leopards and Livestock and predation levels on Livestock can vary even at similar levels of wild prey density. In large parts of the snow leopard range, Livestock production is indispensable to local livelihoods and Livestock population is expected to increase to meet the demand of cashmere. Hence, we recommend that any efforts to increase Livestock populations or conservation initiatives aimed at recovering or increasing snow leopard population be accompanied by better herding practices (e.g., predator-proof corrals) to protect Livestock from snow leopard.
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impact of wild prey availability on Livestock predation by snow leopards
Royal Society Open Science, 2017Co-Authors: Kulbhushansingh R. Suryawanshi, Stephen M Redpath, Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Uma Ramakrishnan, Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Sophie Smout, Charudutt MishraAbstract:An increasing proportion of the world9s poor is rearing Livestock today, and the global Livestock population is growing. Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory killing is becoming an economic and conservation concern. A common recommendation for carnivore conservation and for reducing predation on Livestock is to increase wild prey populations based on the assumption that the carnivores will consume this alternative food. Livestock predation, however, could either reduce or intensify with increases in wild prey depending on prey choice and trends in carnivore abundance. We show that the extent of Livestock predation by the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia intensifies with increases in the density of wild ungulate prey, and subsequently stabilizes. We found that snow leopard density, estimated at seven sites, was a positive linear function of the density of wild ungulates—the preferred prey—and showed no discernible relationship with Livestock density. We also found that modelled Livestock predation increased with Livestock density. Our results suggest that snow leopard conservation would benefit from an increase in wild ungulates, but that would intensify the problem of Livestock predation for pastoralists. The potential benefits of increased wild prey abundance in reducing Livestock predation can be overwhelmed by a resultant increase in snow leopard populations. Snow leopard conservation efforts aimed at facilitating increases in wild prey must be accompanied by greater assistance for better Livestock protection and offsetting the economic damage caused by carnivores.
Charudutt Mishra - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Relative influence of wild prey and Livestock abundance on carnivore-caused Livestock predation.
Ecology and evolution, 2020Co-Authors: Gopal Khanal, Charudutt Mishra, Kulbhushansingh R. SuryawanshiAbstract:Conservation conflict over Livestock depredation is one of the key drivers of large mammalian carnivore declines worldwide. Mitigating this conflict requires strategies informed by reliable knowledge of factors influencing Livestock depredation. Wild prey and Livestock abundance are critical factors influencing the extent of Livestock depredation. We compared whether the extent of Livestock predation by snow leopards Panthera uncia differed in relation to densities of wild prey, Livestock, and snow leopards at two sites in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal. We used camera trap-based spatially explicit capture-recapture models to estimate snow leopard density; double-observer surveys to estimate the density of their main prey species, the blue sheep Pseudois nayaur; and interview-based household surveys to estimate Livestock population and number of Livestock killed by snow leopards. The proportion of Livestock lost per household was seven times higher in Upper Dolpa, the site which had higher snow leopard density (2.51 snow leopards per 100 km2) and higher Livestock density (17.21 Livestock per km2) compared to Lower Dolpa (1.21 snow leopards per 100 km2; 4.5 Livestock per km2). The wild prey density was similar across the two sites (1.81 and 1.57 animals per km2 in Upper and Lower Dolpa, respectively). Our results suggest that Livestock depredation level may largely be determined by the abundances of the snow leopards and Livestock and predation levels on Livestock can vary even at similar levels of wild prey density. In large parts of the snow leopard range, Livestock production is indispensable to local livelihoods and Livestock population is expected to increase to meet the demand of cashmere. Hence, we recommend that any efforts to increase Livestock populations or conservation initiatives aimed at recovering or increasing snow leopard population be accompanied by better herding practices (e.g., predator-proof corrals) to protect Livestock from snow leopard.
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impact of wild prey availability on Livestock predation by snow leopards
Royal Society Open Science, 2017Co-Authors: Kulbhushansingh R. Suryawanshi, Stephen M Redpath, Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Uma Ramakrishnan, Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Sophie Smout, Charudutt MishraAbstract:An increasing proportion of the world9s poor is rearing Livestock today, and the global Livestock population is growing. Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory killing is becoming an economic and conservation concern. A common recommendation for carnivore conservation and for reducing predation on Livestock is to increase wild prey populations based on the assumption that the carnivores will consume this alternative food. Livestock predation, however, could either reduce or intensify with increases in wild prey depending on prey choice and trends in carnivore abundance. We show that the extent of Livestock predation by the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia intensifies with increases in the density of wild ungulate prey, and subsequently stabilizes. We found that snow leopard density, estimated at seven sites, was a positive linear function of the density of wild ungulates—the preferred prey—and showed no discernible relationship with Livestock density. We also found that modelled Livestock predation increased with Livestock density. Our results suggest that snow leopard conservation would benefit from an increase in wild ungulates, but that would intensify the problem of Livestock predation for pastoralists. The potential benefits of increased wild prey abundance in reducing Livestock predation can be overwhelmed by a resultant increase in snow leopard populations. Snow leopard conservation efforts aimed at facilitating increases in wild prey must be accompanied by greater assistance for better Livestock protection and offsetting the economic damage caused by carnivores.
Jyotirmay Jena - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Livestock losses and hotspots of attack from tigers and leopards in Kanha Tiger Reserve, Central India
Regional Environmental Change, 2016Co-Authors: Jennifer R. B. Miller, Yadvendradev V. Jhala, Jyotirmay JenaAbstract:Carnivore attacks on Livestock are a primary driver of human–carnivore conflict and carnivore decline globally. Livestock depredation is particularly threatening to carnivore conservation in Central India, a priority landscape and stronghold for the endangered tiger. To strengthen the effectiveness of conflict mitigation strategies, we examined the spatial and temporal patterns and physical characteristics of Livestock depredation in Kanha Tiger Reserve. We combined Livestock compensation historical records (2001–2009) with ground surveys (2011–2012) and carnivore scat to identify when and where Livestock species were most vulnerable. Between 400 and 600 Livestock were reported for financial compensation each year, and most (91–95 %) were successfully reimbursed. Tigers and leopards were responsible for nearly all Livestock losses and most often killed in the afternoon and early evening. Cattle and buffalo were most at risk in dense forests away from villages and roads, whereas goats were most often killed in open vegetation near villages. A spatial predation risk model for cattle revealed high-risk hotspots around the core zone boundary, confirming the significant risks to Livestock grazing illegally in the core. Such ecological insights on carnivore–Livestock interactions may help improve species-specific Livestock husbandry for minimizing Livestock losses and enabling coexistence between people and carnivores.
