What drives human–carnivore conflict in the North West Province of South Africa?

Abstract

Alleviating human-carnivore conflict is central to large carnivore conservation and is often of economic importance where people co-exist with carnivores. However, effective conflict mitigation requires knowledge of underlying human and environmental drivers that is largely absent in South Africa. From 2006 to 2008, we interviewed land owners in the North West Province of South Africa to quantify; 1) human-carnivore conflict characteristics and; 2) determinants of perceived predation levels and retaliatory persecution of carnivores. Carnivores reportedly killed 3755 animals i.e. 2.77% of total game and livestock holdings. Reported financial losses were unevenly distributed among individuals, but generally not of sufficient magnitude to constitute a serious economic threat. Dense cover, increasing distance from protected areas and land use were the most influential determinants of perceived predation levels. Cultural group was by far the most influential determinant of carnivore persecution. Black-backed jackals and caracals were most often implicated in predation and most frequently killed by interviewees.Conflict in the North West Province appears to be driven more by social and environmental factors than by economic losses. Therefore, mitigation efforts that foster positive attitudes to carnivores may have greater impact than activities intended to reduce livestock predation losses. More generally, our combination of socio-economic interviews and information theoretic analysis demonstrates a simple and effective method for identifying the key determinants of complex human-wildlife conflicts.

The impacts, characterisation and management of human–leopard conflict in a multi-use land system in South Africa

“…Similar results have been suggested for other studies in South Africa where distance to protected areas influences predation rates by large carnivores (Thorn et al 2012). Risk of predation was greatest at low altitudes (Game: 775-790 m Livestock: 670-780 m) and at high altitudes (Game: 900-920 m Livestock: 1540-1760 m) reflecting differences in surface ruggedness between land use types and livestock husbandry practices.…”

“…Levels of loss were similar to those reported in the NorthWest Province of South Africa, (Thorn et al 2012) and 2.2 % in Botswana (Schiess-Meier et al 2007), but this finding contrasts with other studies on large carnivores where natural causes of mortality predominate (Dar et al 2009;Hemson et al 2009). Leopards accounted for 60 % of livestock attacks in the Blouberg, much higher than other regions in South Africa such as the Waterberg (Thorn et al 2012) although in line with similar rates reported in Botswana (Schiess-Meier et al 2007). Leopards in the Blouberg predate on young calves and donkey foals similarly, 64 % of reported depredation by leopards in the neighbouring Soutpansberg Mountains occurred on young calves (Chase-Grey 2011).…”

“…The majority of studies worldwide apply quantitative analyses of human-wildlife conflict patterns and rarely consider the application of qualitative methods (Michalski et al 2006;Soto-Shoender and Giuliano 2011;Thorn et al 2012Thorn et al , 2013. Qualitative studies concentrate on the data quality associated with relations between people and do not make broad claims about a population; instead they seek an in-depth understanding of individuals or subgroups and the processes influencing values and behaviours (Drury et al 2011).…”

“…Game farming introduces a new form of emerging conflict due to depredation on expensive game (Lindsey et al 2009). To our knowledge, published data on the impacts, characterisation and management of humancarnivore conflict on game populations are lacking worldwide (Inskip and Zimmermann 2009), with only two studies to date assessing the impacts and determinants of humancarnivore conflict on game populations in South Africa (Thorn et al 2012(Thorn et al , 2013. Ecological niche models have been adopted as a tool to integrate the effects of bio-physical, anthropogenic and spatial factors to develop spatial predation risk maps for livestock by pumas (Puma concolor) and jaguars (Panthera onca) in Mexico (Zarco-González et al 2012), and large carnivores in Tanzania (Abade et al 2014).…”

Los seres humanos como depredadores: una visión general de las estrategias de depredación seguidas por cazadores con distintas motivaciones

“…Persecution is typically carried out to minimize real or perceived damage (Inskip and Zimmermann, 2009, but see Marchini and MacDonald, 2012 for an exception). It is often, but not always, directed towards large carnivores (e.g., Reynolds and Tapper, 1996;Thorn, Green, Dalerum, Bateman and Scott, 2012). Two characteristics of persecution make it potentially destabilizing on game numbers.…”