Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Liam Singer, Xenia Wietlisbach, Raffael Hickisch, Eva Maria Schoell, Christoph Leuenberger, Angela Van den Broek, Manon Desalme, Koen Driesen, Mari Lyly, Francesca Marucco, Miroslav Kutal, Nives Pagon, Cristian Remus Papp, Paraskevi Milioni, Remigijus Uzdras, Ilgvars Zihmanis, Fridolin Zimmermann, Katrina Marsden, Klaus Hacklaender, Jose Vicente Lopez-Bao, Sybille Klenzendorf, Daniel Wegmann
Summary: Wolf populations in Europe are increasing, leading to conflicts with livestock owners. A study compiled livestock damage data from 21 countries between 2018 and 2020, finding regional variations in the target species, damage density, seasonal distribution, and temporal trend. The area of cultivated habitats occupied by wolves, as well as husbandry practices and damage prevention, were identified as important factors influencing the incidents.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marine Drouilly, Nicoli Nattrass, M. Justin O'Riain
Summary: The use of poison as a lethal control method on small-livestock farmland has a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem health globally. Commercial farmers in the Central Karoo perceive lethal methods to be more cost-effective and successful in protecting their livestock from predation. The reported use of poison is higher than other estimates in southern Africa and is influenced by perceived efficacy, declining on-farm employment, perceived threats of predators, and terrain ruggedness.
Article
Environmental Studies
Sandhya Dhakal, Simant Rimal, Prashant Paudel, Anil Shrestha
Summary: The human-leopard conflict in Bardia National Park, Nepal, follows a specific spatio-temporal pattern and poses a severe threat to conservation efforts. Leopard attacks on livestock are increasing exponentially and are the main cause of the conflict, highlighting the need for measures to reduce conflicts and maintain coexistence between wildlife and humans.
Article
Agronomy
Ilias Karmiris, Thomas G. Papachristou, Dimitrios Fotakis
Summary: Silvopasture is a traditional agroforestry practice that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting species. However, the abandonment of this practice in Europe has led to changes in vegetation and wildlife habitats, potentially negatively impacting certain species' habitat use.
Article
Immunology
Morgan A. Walker, Luong Minh Tan, Le Hai Dang, Pham Van Khang, Hoang Thi Thu Ha, Tran Thi Mai Hung, Ho Hoang Dung, Dang Duc Anh, Tran Nhu Duong, Ted Hadfield, Pham Quang Thai, Jason K. Blackburn
Summary: Anthrax is a significant zoonotic disease in Vietnam that requires urgent control measures. Despite efforts, the incidence of anthrax cases has remained stable over a 26-year period. The Northern Midlands and Mountainous regions in Vietnam have the highest incidence rates, while every region in the country has experienced anthrax cases. Understanding the distribution of anthrax will help in targeting high-risk areas for improved surveillance, clinical care, and livestock vaccination campaigns.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Linda van Bommel, Chris N. Johnson
Summary: Livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) can effectively protect livestock from predators in Australia over long-term use, with half of the original participants still using LGDs. Reasons for discontinued use include changes in business, unwanted behavior of dogs, and problems with neighbors. The use of LGDs reduces the need for other predation control methods.
Article
Ecology
Martin Mayer, Kent Olsen, Bjoern Schulz, Jens Matzen, Carsten Nowak, Philip Francis Thomsen, Michael Moller Hansen, Christina Vedel-Smith, Peter Sunde
Summary: Attacks by large predators on livestock drive conflicts. Understanding predator distribution, livestock depredation locations, and influencing factors can help mitigate conflicts. This study found that wolves primarily kill livestock in agricultural areas with low availability of wild ungulate prey and high livestock densities, rather than due to behavioral preferences for sheep. Improving fences in established wolf territories can reduce attacks, but livestock depredation by non-resident wolves in agricultural areas presents a greater challenge.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Georgia Titcomb, John Naisikie Mantas, Jenna Hulke, Ivan Rodriguez, Douglas Branch, Hillary Young
Summary: Shifting landscape heterogeneity and climate can impact animal movement and disease transmission. Water sources serve as potential disease hotspots by aggregating hosts and infectious material, particularly in drier areas and periods. This study in East African savannah demonstrates how water sources increase the concentration of fecal-oral parasites in the environment, with stronger effects for certain herbivore species like elephants and cattle, highlighting the importance of monitoring disease hotspots in changing environments.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexandra Zimmermann, Paul Johnson, Alan Eduardo de Barros, Chloe Inskip, Ronit Amit, Erika Cuellar Soto, Carlos A. Lopez-Gonzalez, Claudio Sillero-Zubiri, Rogerio de Paula, Silvio Marchini, Jose Soto-Shoender, Pablo G. Perovic, Samantha Earle, Carmen Julia Quiroga-Pacheco, David W. Macdonald
Summary: This study revealed considerable differences in farmers' education levels, economic dependence on livestock, personal experience with livestock losses, as well as tolerance of and attitudes and social norms towards jaguars within and across case studies. Despite patterns existing within individual case studies, no quantifiable single contextual factor could be used to predict how farmers perceive jaguars and deal with depredation consistently across cases. Insights from aggregate or wide-range studies can provide understanding of possible scenarios in jaguar conservation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Review
Agronomy
Janice K. Enos, Michael P. Ward, Mark E. Hauber
Summary: This review of scientific literature on biologically salient frightening devices for crop protection against avian pests found that alarm call playbacks, eye-spot balloons, and UAVs are effective in reducing bird abundance and crop damage.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
L. Mark Elbroch, Adrian Treves
Summary: Human-carnivore conflict is still characterized by lethal control, even while some evidence suggests that carnivore removal may not affect the likelihood of future livestock predation, or that it may even exacerbate the problem. Here we propose five non-exclusive, and likely additive, hypotheses for why lethal removals could fail to mitigate livestock-carnivore conflict. We also propose a methodological change in the scale of conflict analyses from populations to smaller social networks, and encourage public education that includes discussions about the potential consequences for communities with livestock following the killing of carnivores, in addition to broader outreach about both the costs and benefits of living with carnivores.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Romaan Hayat Khattak, Liwei Teng, Tahir Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmad, Fathul Bari, Ejaz Ur Rehman, Zhensheng Liu
Summary: The high economic costs of human-wildlife conflicts hinder long-term conservation successes in developing countries, as shown by a study in Nowshera district, Pakistan. Livestock predation and crop damage by certain species resulted in significant annual economic losses in the area. Negative attitudes towards certain wildlife species were prevalent among the respondents. Cooperation between wildlife officials and local communities, along with education and compensation measures, is essential to reduce human-wildlife conflicts in the study area.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Esmail Bagheriyan, Azadeh Karimi, Hossein Yazdandad
Summary: This study investigates the spatial and temporal trends of conflicts between rural communities and wild animals in a protected area in northeastern Iran. Wild boars, wolves, and leopards were found to be responsible for the majority of attacks on humans, livestock, and crops. The study identifies conflict hotspots and their temporal clustering, which can guide managers in mitigating conflicts and allocating resources effectively.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Shinsuke H. Sakamoto, Yasuyuki Miyamoto, Rina Ukyo, Seiji Ieiri
Summary: To strengthen farm biosecurity, it is important to pay attention to wildlife behaviors around livestock environments, especially their response to livestock feed. A study experimentally investigated the wildlife response to cattle, swine, and chicken feeds in forests surrounding poultry farms. The results showed that wildlife more frequently appeared at feed points and their response varied across different types of feed. Proper management of leftover feed and feed storage is necessary to protect against wildlife intrusion.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Peter Tyrrell, Robin Naidoo, David W. Macdonald, Johan T. du Toit
Summary: Land transformation has negative impacts on biodiversity and regional sustainability, with land price being an indicator of the cost associated with resisting land conversion. Research in southern Kenya found that land prices are influenced by proximity to cities, areas of high agricultural productivity, and the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Land speculation associated with urbanization increases costs of maintaining conservation areas, but also leads to high land values near a world-famous tourist destination.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
