IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Schiess-Meier, M.; Mills, D.R.; Weilenmann, M. | |
| Human-Predator Conflict and Livestock Protection Methods in Botswana | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
Large carnivores come into frequent conflict with farmers when caught raiding livestock. This study sought to understand and reduce the predator-livestock conflict in Khutse Game Reserve and the surrounding farmland of Kweneng District, Botswana. From 2000 to 2006, we computerized reports of livestock killed by predators, which are kept by the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, conducted interviews with local farmers and started to survey locations of kills. Preliminary results indicate that leopards and lions were the primary source of the predator-livestock conflict. Between 2000 and 2004, the number of annual losses attributed to leopards almost doubled, increasing from 276 to 450, and annual losses attributed to lions increased by a factor of almost 5, from 119 to 561. Local farmers reacted to this situation by killing 18 lions near the reserve in 2005 and 2006. Predator attacks occur manly at night and outside of kraals, suggesting that improvements in kraaling and herding techniques will effectively reduce losses. These results, along with our ongoing research, will be used to develop effective livestock protection methods to contribute to the long-term viability of carnivore populations in Africa. |
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