Managing conflict between large carnivores and livestock

What are the losses of large carnivores?
Habitat loss, persecution by humans and loss of prey have combined to inflict great losses on these populations.
In fact more than 75% of the 31 largest carnivore species are declining, and 17 species now occupy less than half their former ranges..
What is the ecological role of large carnivores in conservation of biodiversity?
Through opportunistic predation, carnivores can maintain prey assem- blages, which in turn maintains the structure of the plant community (Terborgh 1988; Estes 1996; Terborgh et al. 1997, 1999)..
What is the role of the large carnivores?
Large carnivores control prey populations by direct and indirect means.
Carnivores directly reduce the number of preys through predation (Terborgh 1988; Terborgh et al. 1997; Estes et al. 1998; Miller et al..
Carnivore and human populations are often in proximity to each other, due to carnivore recovery efforts in some areas (e.g.
North America, Europe) and ongoing human encroachment into carnivore habitats globally.
Increasing proximity prompts more frequent interactions between carnivores and humans.
Despite their fierce claws and fangs, large carnivores are some of the most vulnerable to human activity, due to their large energy and land requirements and low reproduction rates.

Despite limited data, current evidence suggests that nonlethal methods such as fencing, livestock-guarding dogs, and herdsmen allow the coexistence between native carnivores and livestock activity, but their effectiveness may vary depending on the carnivore species involved in the conflict.

Do carnivore conflicts lead to retaliatory killing?

These conflicts result in a negative attitude towards carnivore conservation and often trigger retaliatory killing.
In northern Pakistan, we investigated livestock depredation by large carnivores between 2014 and 2019, and subsequent Human–wildlife conflict, through questionnaire-based surveys (n = 100 households).

Do large carnivores and humans have conflict-mitigation strategies?

Despite much research into human and large-carnivore coexistence strategies, there have been few attempts to document the success of conflict-mitigation strategies on a global scale.
We conducted a meta-analysis of global research on conflict mitigation related to large carnivores and humans.

What are the major threats to carnivores?

Major threats to carnivores in the area included retaliatory killing, habitat destruction and climate change.
Incentivization against depredation losses, guarded grazing and construction of predator-proof corral may reduce Human–wildlife conflict and both livelihood and predator can be safeguarded in the study area.

Why are large carnivores persecuted globally?

Large carnivores are persecuted globally because they threaten human industries and livelihoods.
How this conflict is managed has consequences for the conservation of large carnivores and biodiversity more broadly.
Mitigating human-predator conflict should be evidence-based and accommodate people's values while protecting carnivores.

Managing conflict between large carnivores and livestock

What are the losses of large carnivores?

What is the ecological role of large carnivores in conservation of biodiversity?

What is the role of the large carnivores?

Do carnivore conflicts lead to retaliatory killing?

Do large carnivores and humans have conflict-mitigation strategies?

What are the major threats to carnivores?

Why are large carnivores persecuted globally?