Tools for Human-Carnivore Coexistence: A Quantitative Assessment of Techniques for Reducing Large Carnivore Depredation of Livestock

Large carnivores are declining in many regions worldwide, due in part to pastoralist retaliations against predators following attacks on livestock. Livestock depredation can be mitigated using preventative husbandry, carnivore... [ view full abstract ]

Large carnivores are declining in many regions worldwide, due in part to pastoralist retaliations against predators following attacks on livestock. Livestock depredation can be mitigated using preventative husbandry, carnivore deterrents and removal, financial incentives for pastoralists, and the management of wild prey and human land-use. We reviewed the literature to quantitatively assess the effectiveness and cost of techniques used to reduce livestock depredation. Across 148 studies, land-use and prey management were most effective at the largest spatiotemporal scales, while at smaller scales, traditional preventative husbandry (e.g. human or animal guards and night enclosures) consistently reduced depredation rates by at least 35%, and modern electricity-based techniques (e.g. electric fences and light/sound devices) reduced depredation more than 40%. We observed marked tradeoffs among techniques in the degree and duration of effectiveness and the cost of implementation, underlining the challenge of designing an effective program of conflict mitigation. We also observed significant inconsistencies in measures of effectiveness and recommend that future studies specifically report whether a given technique reduces depredation, increases carnivore survival, or increases pastoralist tolerance for carnivores. Nevertheless, our assessment illuminates a diverse conservation toolset that is now available to aid livestock producers and managers in mitigating carnivore attacks across a wide range of conditions.