Limiting Depredation by African Carnivores: the Role of Livestock Husbandry

Conservation Biology - Tập 17 Số 6 - Trang 1521-1530 - 2003
Mordecai Ogada1,2, Roșie Woodroffe, Nicholas Oguge1, Laurence Frank3
1Department of Zoology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
2Mpala Research Center, P.O. Box 555, Nanyuki, Kenya
3Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A.

Tóm tắt

Abstract:  Most large carnivore species are in global decline. Conflict with local people, particularly over depredation on livestock, is a major cause of this decline, affecting both nominally protected populations and those outside protected areas. For this reason, techniques that can resolve conflicts between large carnivores and livestock farmers may make important contributions to conservation. We monitored rates of livestock depredation by lions ( Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), and retributive killing of these species by farmers in livestock‐producing areas of Laikipia District, Kenya. Farmers killed more lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas where these predators killed more livestock. Livestock husbandry had a clear effect on rates of depredation and hence on the numbers of predators killed. Cattle, sheep, and goats experienced the lowest predation rates when attentively herded by day and enclosed in traditional corrals (bomas) by night. Construction of the boma, the presence of watchdogs, and high levels of human activity around the boma were all associated with lower losses to predators. Although most of this work was carried out on commercial ranches, local Maasai and Samburu pastoralists have practiced nearly identical forms of husbandry for generations. Our study shows that traditional, low‐tech husbandry approaches can make an important contribution to the conservation of large carnivores.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Brashares J. S. P.Arcese andM. K.Sam.2001.Human demography and reserve size predict wildlife extinction in West Africa.Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B268:2473–2478.

10.1017/S0031182000075806

Frank L. G., 1998, Development Alternatives

Georgiadis N. andG.Ojwang'2001.Numbers and distributions of large herbivores in Laikipia Samburu and Isiolo Districts. Report. Laikipia Wildlife Forum Nanyuki Kenya .

Ginsberg J. R., 1990, Foxes, wolves, jackals and dogs: an action plan for the conservation of canids

10.1023/A:1016680327755

10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.00559.x

Hemson G.2001.Lion‐livestock conflict in the Makgadikgadi. Pages155–164inF.Monggae R.Mojaphoko T.Morule G.Tobedza D.McColaugh andP.Kaisara editors.National technical predator management and conservation workshop in Botswana. Department of Wildlife and National Parks Gaborone Botswana .

Kruuk H., 1981, UNEP‐MAB integrated project in arid lands

Linnell J. D. C., 1999, Large carnivores that kill livestock: do “problem individuals” really exist, Wildlife Society Bulletin, 27, 698

Loveridge A. J., 2001, Conflicts with people

Marker L., 1996, Cheetah survival on Namibian farmlands

10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.9020270.x

Mills M. G. L. andH.Hofer.1998.Hyenas: status survey and conservation action plan. World Conservation Union Gland Switzerland .

Nowell K. andP.Jackson.1996Wild cats: status survey and conservation action plan. World Conservation Union Gland Switzerland .

Rhodes C. J. R. P. D.Atkinson R. M.Anderson andD. W.Macdonald.1998.Rabies in Zimbabwe: reservoir dogs and the implications for disease control.Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B353:999–1010.

10.1038/379441a0

Stander P. E., 1991, Demography of lions in Etosha National Park, 18, 1

10.1046/j.1523-1739.2000.99013.x

10.2307/1307647

Woodroffe R., 2001, Carnivore conservation, 61

Woodroffe R.2002.African wild dogs and African people: conservation through coexistence. 2nd annual report. Samburu‐Laikipia Wild Dog Project University of California . Davis .

10.1126/science.280.5372.2126

World Conservation Union (IUCN).2002.The IUCN red list of threatened species. IUCN Gland Switzerland . Available fromhttp://www.redlist.org(accessed January 2003).

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Conservation Biology

Tập 17 Số 6

1521-1530

Thông tin tác giả