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The article discusses cannibalism observed in northern giant petrels at Possession Island in the Southern Indian Ocean. The study highlights instances of cannibalism among the petrels, which is attributed to opportunistic feeding behavior and specific environmental conditions. The research also explores the impact of cannibalism on breeding failures and the need for further investigation into the drivers of this behavior. The study emphasizes the need for more research to understand the role of cannibalism in the feeding repertoire of giant petrels and its implications for breeding success. [Extracted from the article]

The recovery of mammalian predators of conservation concern in Europe is a success story, but their impact on some prey species of conservation concern may cause conservation dilemmas. This calls for effective intervention strategies that mitigate predator impacts without compromising their recovery.We evaluated diversionary feeding as a management intervention tool to reduce depredation on nests of rapidly declining Western capercaillies in Scotland. We studied the influence of diversionary feeding provision on the fates of artificial nests deployed using a replicated and representative randomised landscape‐scale experiment. This comprised 30 'paired' control (no diversionary feeding) and treatment (diversionary feeding applied) sites, 60 in total, each containing six artificial nests distributed across 600 km2. The experiment was replicated over 2 years, and in the second year, the control‐treatment pairs were reversed, yielding 60 treatment and 60 control sites and 720 artificial nests.Diversionary feeding substantially reduced depredation of artificial nests, translating into an 82.5% increase in predicted nest survival over 28 days of incubation. The increase in survival was mostly accounted for by a reduction in the probability that a pine marten, the main nest predator, consumed or cached eggs. Diversionary food also significantly reduced nest predation by badgers, although the magnitude of this effect varied by year.Synthesis and applications. Diversionary feeding is an easily employable method shown in this study to reduce predator impact (functional) without lethal (numerical) intervention. Managers should proceed with its application for conserving capercaillie in Scotland without delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As natural habitats continue to shrink in Kenya's Amboseli Ecosystem, livestock depredation by lions Panthera leo threatens both the livelihoods of pastoralist communities and the lion populations affected by retaliatory killings. Finding ways for people and carnivores to coexist at the landscape scale is crucial to the long-term persistence of many threatened animal populations. The fortification of existing traditional bomas to make them predator-proof reduces night-time depredation of livestock. However, the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of such an initiative rely on boma owners taking responsibility for the upkeep and repair of their bomas. In August 2018 we surveyed 88 predator-proof bomas constructed during 2012–2018 and recorded their characteristics and levels of damage. We examined which variables influence disrepair, using a series of statistical analyses, including generalized linear mixed models. Our results reveal there was more disrepair in bomas constructed with wooden posts, confirming the benefit of using recycled plastic posts; in bomas with lower livestock density, suggesting that fewer animals could cause more damage or that such damage is not repaired; and in bomas located further away from a neighbouring predator-proof boma, suggesting a social element in encouraging or enabling boma owners to carry out maintenance. We recommend the consideration and further investigation of this social influence in guiding and improving the sustainability of conservation programmes that use predator-proof bomas, with a view to reducing negative interactions between pastoralists and lions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The domestic cat, Felis catus, is one of the most popular and widespread domestic animals. Because domestic cats can reach high population densities and retain at least some tendency to hunt, their overall impact on wildlife can be severe. Domestic cats have highly variable predation rates depending on the availability of prey in their environment, their owners' practices, and individual cat characteristics. Among these characteristics, cat personality has recently been hypothesized to be an important factor contributing to variations in the hunting activity of cats. In this study, we surveyed 2508 cat owners living in France about their cats' personalities, using the Feline Five personality framework, and the frequency with which cats bring home prey. Personality traits were analyzed using factor analysis and related to predation frequency using cumulative logit models. For both birds and small mammals, cats with high levels of extraversion or low levels of neuroticism had significantly higher frequencies of prey return. Owners whose cats had low levels of agreeableness or high levels of dominance reported a significantly lower frequency of bird return. Personality differences therefore seem to contribute to the high variability in predation rates among domestic cats. We also found that the owner‐reported prey return frequencies were significantly higher for cats spending more time outdoors, for non‐pedigree cats, and for owners living in rural or suburban areas as opposed to urban areas. By contrast, we did not detect an effect of cat sex or age on their reported prey return rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many conservation projects relocate sea turtle eggs to hatcheries to protect the sea turtle nests from the anthropogenic and natural threats they face in the early stages of development. The Rescue Center for Endangered Marine Species (CREMA) manages four sea turtle conservation projects on the nesting beaches of the Southern Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, where the predominant nesting activity is from olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea). Two of these nesting projects are based in Costa de Oro and San Miguel, which are adjacent beaches divided by an estuary. In this study, we compared the dynamics and rates of human and animal predation of nests prior to being relocated to the hatchery on both nesting beaches from 2012 to 2018. We hypothesized that human take and animal predation were compensatory threats, meaning that lower human take may result in higher animal predation, and vice versa, resulting in a similar number of nests lost to predation overall. We discuss the communitybased conservation programs on both beaches, one of which has been monitored since 1998 (San Miguel) and the other of which has been monitored since 2012 (Costa de Oro). We found that Costa de Oro exhibited high rates of human take with up to 51% of nests being extracted per season, which has decreased since the conservation project was established. Human take was significantly higher than animal predation on both beaches and human take was significantly higher in Costa de Oro. While San Miguel exhibited higher animal predation, the difference was not statistically significant. Higher depredation by animals corresponded to higher overall nest abundance on both beaches. We were unable to find evidence that human take or animal predation increased in the absence of the other threat, suggesting a lack of compensatory effects of predation. Our findings support further analysis of animal predation and a continuation of patrol-based conservation efforts as well as community outreach to attempt to merge cultural values with sea turtle conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depredation has become a major concern worldwide as it jeopardises both socio-economic activities and species conservation. While modelling can help to inform the management of these conflicts, effectiveness may be hampered by the complexity of interactions that depredation generates within socio-ecological systems. Based on a systematic literature review, we summarised current practices and identified major gaps and research priorities for depredation modelling. We found that 74% of reviewed studies used statistical models to quantify depredation levels, identify environmental or anthropogenic factors influencing these levels or assess the effectiveness of specific mitigation measures. Only 8% of studies used models incorporating elements related to the three main entities involved in depredation: human activity, depredating species and depredated resource. Such integrated modelling approaches are however crucial to comprehensively assess management trade-offs. We highlighted future research priorities to comprehensively model depredation and inform the management of human-wildlife conflicts. • We carried out a systematic review to identify relevant approaches to study specific aspects of depredation through modelling. • We found statistical models to be predominantly used. • We identified the main factors driving depredation modelling efforts. • We provided recommendations for effective depredation modelling. • We highlighted research priorities to comprehensively model depredation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular forensics is an important component of wildlife research and management. Using DNA from noninvasive samples collected at predation sites, we can identify predator species and obtain individual genotypes, improving our understanding of predator–prey dynamics and impacts of predators on livestock and endangered species. To improve sample collection strategies, we tested two sample collection methods and estimated degradation rates of predator DNA on the carcasses of multiple prey species. We fed carcasses of calves (Bos taurus) and lambs (Ovis aires) to three captive predator species: wolves (Canis lupus), coyotes (C. latrans), and mountain lions (Puma concolor). We swabbed the carcass in the field, as well as removed a piece of hide from the carcasses and then swabbed it in the laboratory. We swabbed all tissue samples through time and attempted to identify the predator involved in the depredation using salivary DNA. We found the most successful approach for yielding viable salivary DNA was removing hide from the prey and swabbing it in the laboratory. As expected, genotyping error increased through time and our ability to obtain complete genotypes decreased over time, the latter falling below 50% after 24 h. We provide guidelines for sampling salivary DNA from tissues of depredated carcasses for maximum probability of detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gray wolf populations have exceeded anticipated recovery levels since they were first reintroduced to central Idaho in 1995. Although wolf predation on livestock is a relatively minor issue to the livestock industry as a whole, it can be a serious problem for some individual livestock producers who graze their stock in occupied wolf habitat. This paper compares Idaho population estimates for gray wolves with the available information on numbers of livestock killed by wolves in order to estimate numbers of livestock killed per wolf. This information is compared with similar analyses for other species most commonly implicated as predators of livestock in Idaho (coyotes, black bears, and mountain lions). Population estimates for coyotes, black bears, and mountain lions are based on review of available scientific literature and analyses in environmental assessments prepared by Wildlife Services, as well as estimates from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Wolf population estimates are based primarily on monitoring information provided by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Nez Perce Tribe. Estimates of numbers of livestock killed by wolves, coyotes, black bears, and mountain lions are based on survey data compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rationale for use of various data sets is provided, and limitations of the data are discussed. This analysis suggests that individual wolves are much more likely to prey on livestock than are individuals of any other predator species in Idaho.

Oceanic islands are simplified ecosystems, which are very useful for understanding the processes related to the structuring of natural communities and for assessing cascade effects after perturbations. Socorro Island in the Pacific Ocean reaches up to 1040 m in elevation, and the northeastern side that faces trade winds is more humid than the leeward southwestern side. Apparently, the lack of freshwater throughout most of the island has prevented the spread of invasive cats and sheep to the north, but these species have severely impacted land bird communities on the southern side, where they have potentially disrupted functions such as the top-down control of herbivory. We tested the relative importance of bottom-up (soil and foliage nutrient availability) and top-down (predation of insect herbivores) drivers of herbivory in three endemic tree species. By experimentally excluding birds, we assessed changes in herbivory when top-down control was disrupted, and we also evaluated herbivore predation rates using artificial caterpillars. Our findings suggest that the herbivory patterns on Socorro Island are driven by the top-down control of herbivores by land birds, because their exclusion resulted in higher herbivory (12%) despite low nitrogen content (bottom-up control) of leaves on the north side, whereas the leaves were richer in nitrogen on the south side but no change in herbivory was observed when birds were excluded, and overall, herbivory was 30% higher than in the north, suggesting release of herbivores from top down control on the south side, probably due to effects of invasive predators (cats) or sheep, which may have reduced suitable bird habitats. A better understanding of how drivers of ecological interactions operate on Socorro Island may increase the likelihood of success of future restoration programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) share their range with a number of sympatric carnivores, many of which are a concern to livestock producers because they can prey on livestock. Determining which predator species is responsible for killing livestock is important for determining appropriate management actions and for the conservation of Mexican wolves. A variety of information can be used to decipher which carnivore species was responsible for making a kill, and mandibular (upper) and maxillary (lower) intercanine width measurements (i.e. bite mark analysis) can aid this process. No research has been conducted to validate the usefulness of bite mark analysis; thus, we used dentition measurements from Mexican wolves, coyotes (Canis latrans), feral dogs (Canis familiaris), bobcats (Lynx rufus), mountain lions (Puma concolor), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and an overlap coefficient to evaluate the degree of overlap in intercanine width between these species. We found that larger carnivore species had greater overlap than smaller carnivores, feral dogs overlapped widely with all the medium-to-large carnivores, and upper and lower intercanine width measurements provided similar information. Our data indicated that when investigating livestock depredations for Mexican wolves, bite mark analyses should be evaluated along with additional forensic evidence due to the overlap between many of the carnivore species, and that measurements between 28 and 35 mm have the greatest uncertainty because this range overlaps with feral dogs, mountain lions, and coyotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to quantify 1647 aversion training sessions involving 1156 dogs conducted between 1998 and 2007 at Coromandel sites (North Island, New Zealand). The effects of gender, age, social group size, function of dog, breed, number of training sessions and responses to training were explored for evidence of learning differences. The behaviour of dogs presented for up to five further training sessions was analysed for change with repeated exposure. The effect of one-, two- or three-year gaps between training sessions was also investigated. All 1156 dogs displayed avoidance to the training stimuli after the first training session. When presented with the training stimuli at the second training session, 69% of the dogs displayed avoidance, 88% did so at their third training session, 86% at the fourth session and 100% at their fifth session. Where avoidance was not displayed at a repeated training session, the dog underwent aversion training again. Lower levels of avoidance to the training stimuli were seen in older dogs being trained for the first time, dogs from single-dog households, dogs used to hunt pigs, non-sporting breed dogs and dogs that have a three-year gap or longer between sessions. While the majority of dogs avoided the kiwi training stimuli, it is recommended that the ecological translation of the training stimuli be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread prey depletion forces carnivores to rely more on livestock, which may lead to increased persecution by humans. Reliable quantification of livestock consumption is essential for understanding depredation scales, but a comparative analysis of extant biomass models used for this purpose has never been done before., We conducted a global meta-analysis of two linear and three non-linear biomass models used to estimate consumption of prey biomass and individuals by seven big cat species. We applied the z-test to perform pairwise comparisons of estimates produced by five models for each prey record. Further, we used logistic regression to assess the effects of species of big cats and their prey, scat sample size, prey body mass, and study sites on significantly different and similar estimates., The analysis of 769 prey records from 47 sites demonstrated that, in over 95% of cases, linear and non-linear biomass models produced similar estimates of prey biomass and individuals consumed. Significantly different estimates of prey biomass consumed (in 1.5% of cases) and prey individuals consumed (4%) were obtained only in certain study sites and for a few big cat species (tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus, and puma Puma concolor). Due to the paucity of different estimates, the effects of predictors could not be ascertained., Our study demonstrated that linear models tend to estimate higher biomass of large prey, lower biomass of medium-sized prey and fewer individuals of large and medium-sized prey consumed than non-linear models. This disagreement in estimates suggests that the numbers of livestock lost to depredation can be underestimated by linear models, and that re-calculation by non-linear models is required. However, the difference between estimates produced by linear and non-linear models is generally small and such re-calculation may be recommended only for tiger, puma and leopard in certain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 90 years, the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) has made science-based challenges to widespread lethal control of native mammals, particularly by the United States federal government targeting carnivores in the western states. A consensus is emerging among ecologists that extirpated, depleted, and destabilized populations of large predators are negatively affecting the biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems. This Special Feature developed from a thematic session on predator control at ASM's 2013 annual meeting, and in it we present data and arguments from the perspectives of ecology, wildlife biology and management, social science, ethics, and law and policy showing that nonlethal methods of preventing depredation of livestock by large carnivores may be more effective, more defensible on ecological, legal, and wildlife-policy grounds, and more tolerated by society than lethal methods, and that total mortality rates for a large carnivore may be driven higher than previously assumed by human causes that are often underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Wolf ( Canis lupus) predation on livestock and management methods used to mitigate conflicts are highly controversial and scrutinized especially where wolf populations are recovering. Wolves are commonly removed from a local area in attempts to reduce further depredations, but the effectiveness of such management actions is poorly understood. We compared the effects of 3 management responses to livestock depredation by wolf packs in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming: no removal, partial pack removal, and full pack removal. We examined the effectiveness of each management response in reducing further depredations using a conditional recurrent event model. From 1989 to 2008, we documented 967 depredations by 156 packs: 228 on sheep and 739 on cattle and other stock. Median time between recurrent depredations was 19 days following no removal ( n = 593), 64 days following partial pack removal ( n = 326), and 730 days following full pack removal ( n = 48; recurring depredations were made by the next pack to occupy the territory). Compared to no removal, full pack removal reduced the occurrence of subsequent depredations by 79% (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.21, P < 0.001) over a span of 1,850 days (5 years), whereas partial pack removal reduced the occurrence of subsequent depredations by 29% (HR = 0.71, P < 0.001) over the same period. Partial pack removal was most effective if conducted within the first 7 days following depredation, after which there was only a marginally significant difference between partial pack removal and no action (HR = 0.86, P = 0.07), and no difference after 14 days (HR = 0.99, P = 0.93). Within partial pack removal, we found no difference in depredation recurrence when a breeding female (HR = 0.64, P = 0.2) or ≥1-year-old male was removed (HR = 1.0, P = 0.99). The relative effect of all treatments was generally consistent across seasons (spring, summer grazing, and winter) and type of livestock. Ultimately, pack size was the best predictor of a recurrent depredation event; the probability of a depredation event recurring within 5 years increased by 7% for each animal left in the pack after the management response. However, the greater the number of wolves left in a pack, the higher the likelihood the pack met federal criteria to count as a breeding pair the following year toward population recovery goals. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few data are available on interspecific elasmobranch interactions during predation events. This report describes and discusses empirical data from a single event in which four sharks (species:Carcharhinus leucas, Galeocerdo cuvier, Sphyrna mokarranandCarcharhinus perezi) competed for foraging opportunities on a fifth shark (C. perezi) caught on an experimental longline. Analysis of video footage suggested competition was enforced without agonistic behaviour and access to the resource was not governed by size. The singularity of the data set and the artificiality of the situation limit the strength of the conclusions. The rarity of such an observation warrants, however, a published description of the event to provide an example of the behaviour of apex predator interactions in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fishery-independent sampling is designed to representatively sample faunal communities based on the effort-standardized catch rates of individual gears. In estuaries, experimental gillnets are widely used due to their ability to passively sample mobile fish communities with multiple panels of decreasing mesh sizes. To test if concurrently collected prey in experimental gillnets create a trophic-related sampling bias for predatory or scavenging (hereafter, predators) species, we set large mesh gillnets comprising two treatments, baited (n = 80) and unbaited (n = 78), using a paired design in Back Sound, North Carolina. Furthermore, we analyzed data from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NC DMF) estuarine gillnet monitoring program with boosted regression tree models to correlate estuarine predator occurrence with environmental factors (salinity, temperature), habitat presence, and families of common prey species as predictor variables. In our experimental manipulation, neither total catch nor community composition statistically varied between treatments, determined using permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). However, species richness estimated using species accumulation curves was higher in baited gillnets, with one frequently caught species (Atlantic sharpnose sharks) collected exclusively in baited gillnets. In NC DMF surveys, prey group variables were more important (average model importance; 10% ± 8.8% SD) than habitat composition (2% ± 1.7%) to the presence of predators, but less than abiotic environmental variables (21.1% ± 13.1%). This combined manipulative and mensurative study revealed mixed evidence towards increased catch efficiency of predatory fish collected in widely used experimental gillnets. These results should be considered in refining abundance estimations for estuarine predators, as catch efficiency for some piscivorous predators may vary in relation to the abundance and catch efficiency of prey. • Sampling fish communities with nonselective, passive gear may induce biotic interactions that potentially bias species-specific catch rates. • Multi-panel experimental gillnets may bias catch rates due to increased catch efficiency of predators attracted to dead and dying entangled prey. • Experimental gillnets baited with prey attracted a higher number of predator species than unbaited nets, but did not alter community structure. • Fishery-independent gillnet survey data indicated the predator presence was more highly correlated with abiotic factors than prey abundance. • Atlantic sharpnose shark presence was highly correlated with prey abundance in both baiting experiments and fishery-independent observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Top predators are declining globally, in turn allowing populations of smaller predators, or mesopredators, to increase and potentially have negative effects on biodiversity. However, detection of interactions among sympatric predators can be complicated by fluctuations in the background availability of resources in the environment, which may modify both the numbers of predators and the strengths of their interactions. Here, we first present a conceptual framework that predicts how top-down and bottom-up interactions may regulate sympatric predator populations in environments that experience resource pulses. We then test it using 2 years of remote-camera trapping data to uncover spatial and temporal interactions between a top predator, the dingo Canis dingo, and the mesopredatory European red fox Vulpes vulpes and feral cat Felis catus, during population booms, declines and busts in numbers of their prey in a model desert system. We found that dingoes predictably suppress abundances of the mesopredators and that the effects are strongest during declines and busts in prey numbers. Given that resource pulses are usually driven by large yet infrequent rains, we conclude that top predators like the dingo provide net benefits to prey populations by suppressing mesopredators during prolonged bust periods when prey populations are low and potentially vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cetaceans are widely diversified in their sonometric characteristics but no comparative research has determined the general patterns that condition their bio-acoustic evolution across a large number of species. Echolocation calls of 69 cetaceans species has been obtained from different data sources. Through analysis by a Hierarchical Partitioning test, a non-parametric substitute of variance analysis, the absence of statistical differences between bioacoustic data sources has been demonstrated. Sounds were normalized and the fundamental frequency of each species was determined by autocorrelation. Also, the average swimming speed of each species was obtained from published papers. Finally, the intensity of the Doppler effect was calculated for each species using the mathematical equation of underwater sound physics. Doppler shifts lower than 160Hz were found for the majority of species. This can be explained as a behavioral strategy to avoid depredation by Killer Whales. Only certain species of Ziphidae (genus Mesoplodon, Indopacetus pacificus and Ziphius cavirostris) and six species of Delphinidae (from Lagenorhynchus and Cephalorhynchus genus) present higher Doppler shifts. These species had found other strategies to avoid depredation such as the use of echolocation only in deep waters, very high average swimming speeds, large flocks or the use of very high frequencies. From these results it is possible to conclude that depredation conditions all the evolution of echolocation signals of cetaceans except in a reduced number of species that had developed different behavioral strategies to escape from Killer Whales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dogs (Canis familiaris) pose a significant threat to kiwi (Apteryx spp.) through predation. In an attempt to balance kiwi conservation and the need for dogs to be used for hunting purposes in kiwi habitat, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) developed the Kiwi Aversion Training (KAT) programme. KAT involves a training session in which a dog is presented with KAT stimuli (stuffed kiwi, frozen kiwi, and kiwi feathers) and a brief period (0.5–1.5s) of aversive electrical stimulation from an electric shock collar is applied when the dog makes contact with the training stimuli. This paper reports three experiments: (1) investigating whether dogs can learn to avoid the KAT stimuli through aversion training; (2) investigating maintenance of aversion to the KAT stimuli 1 month after initial training; and (3) investigating maintenance of aversion to the KAT stimuli 1 year after initial training. All dogs showed aversion responses to the KAT stimuli during the initial KAT training and also when exposed to the KAT stimuli 1 month after training without an electric collar being worn. 1 year after initial training, 87% (48/55) of dogs avoided the KAT stimuli. This research indicates that KAT effectively produces aversion towards the KAT stimuli that generalizes to another location, is independent of the electric collar being worn, and that lasts at least 1 year after training. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We surveyed density and abundance of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in the highly degraded and prey depleted Wukro district, northern Ethiopia, with a human population density of 98 persons per square kilometer. A total of 117 spotted hyenas responded to callups, giving a hyena density of 52 hyenas per 100km2 or a total population of 535 hyenas in the district. We quantified the economic impact of spotted hyena predation on livestock using semi structured interviews with randomly selected households. Respondents indicated a total loss of 203 domestic animals to hyena depredation over the past five years. Average annual depredation per household was 0.13 livestock worth US$ 6.1. The diet of spotted hyenas was assessed in three sub-districts by scat analysis and showed 99% prey items of domestic origin, only three of 211 scat contained hair of Ethiopian hare (Lepus fagani) and porcupine (Hystrix cristata). We conclude that hyenas in northern Ethiopia live at high density and eat almost exclusively anthropogenic food and are not dependent on conservation areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The recent development in Global Positioning System (GPS) techniques has started a new era in predation studies. Estimates of kill rates based on animal movements and GPS relocation clusters have proven to be valid in several obligatory carnivores. The main focus has been to obtain accurate mean predation estimates for the management of wildlife populations. We present a model to estimate individual kill rates of moose calves by adult female brown bears in Sweden, based on spatiotemporal clustering of 30,889 bear GPS relocations and 71 moose calves verified killed during 714 field investigations in 2004-2006. In this virtually single-predator single large prey system, the omnivorous brown bear is an efficient predator on moose calves up to 4 weeks of age. The top model set only included models with cluster radii of 30 m or 50 m, indicating very high kill-site fidelity. The best model included a cluster radius of 30 m and number of periods of bear activity at the kill site as a single covariate. The mean estimated individual kill rate of 7.6 ± 0.71 ( n = 18, ${\bar {x}}$ ± SE) moose calves per calving season is comparable to the estimate of 6.8 from a previous study of radio-tracked moose in our study area, though at a lower moose/bear ratio. The mean annual kill rates varied from 6.1 to 9.4 calves per bear. The estimated individual kill rates ranged from 2 to 15 calves per season, indicating a large individual variation in hunting skills and possibly effort. Predation and livestock depredation represent a core conflict between humans and carnivores in rural Scandinavia. Accurate predation estimates represent an important step in quantifying costs of carnivores and reducing human-carnivore conflicts. Our technique may be applied in the exploration of predation mechanisms and predator-prey interactions, and contribute to the old and global debate of problem individuals in livestock depredation. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dogs have been employed to protect an array of resources from various species of offending wildlife. Historically, livestock protection dogs (LPDs) protected domestic sheep and goats from predators based on development of a strong bond between protected and protector. Within reason, developing that bond between a LPD and other species of livestock should be achievable. We conducted several studies in which we raised and bonded LPDs with bovine calves and evaluated them for protecting cattle in a variety of settings. Though successful strategies in developing LPDs to protect cattle were similar to those established for sheep, we found differences that were important for optimizing the process. Here we outline our strategies for developing LPDs for maintaining separation between cattle and wild ungulates that are reservoirs of disease that cattle are susceptible to as well as wild carnivores that are predators of cattle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Odontocete depredation involves stealing or damaging bait or prey already captured by fishing gear. The increase in depredation is of concern for small stocks of cetaceans because interactions with fishing gear can lead to serious injury or mortality through entanglement or ingestion. Using long-term data sets available for the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus) community in Sarasota Bay, Florida, we investigated recreational fishing gear interactions by (1) examining temporal patterns in depredation and associated behaviors from 2000 to 2007; (2) quantifying the behavior of dolphins that depredate or engage in associated behaviors; and (3) identifying factors associated with the rise in depredation locally. The number of incidents of dolphins (primarily adult males) interacting with recreational anglers and boaters increased following 2004. Depredation and associated behaviors increased during red tide lags and tourist seasons during times of prey depletion and heightened angler and boater activity. Dolphins with a history of fishing gear interactions shifted away from natural activity patterns and were more likely to be within 50 m of fishing lines. Recreational fishing gear interactions were attributed to a two percent population decline in Sarasota Bay in 2006 and need to be considered along with other cumulative human impacts in the development of conservation measures for dolphins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-tiger ( Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) conflicts (HTC), manifested primarily as attacks on people and domestic animals, exacerbate at least 2 major threats to tigers: (i) conflicts often result in mortality or removal of tigers from the wild; and (ii) they result in negative attitudes towards tigers by local people, thereby reducing support for tiger conservation. Although HTC has decreased over the past century, it will likely increase if current and proposed conservation initiatives to double tiger populations are successful. Increased HTC could undermine successful conservation initiatives if proactive steps are not taken to reduce HTC. The present paper provides a review of the impacts of HTC and the measures taken to reduce it in ways that reduce negative impacts on both humans and tigers, and stresses the need for development and implementation of comprehensive plans to reduce HTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mithun (Bos gaurus frontalis), a semi-domestic bovid is reported to be depredated regularly by predators particular the wild dogs (Cuon alpinus) and the villagers retaliate by killing the predators. This survey focused on the overall patterns and causes of the predator-human conflict. The result showed that the region has more predators (56 %) than preys (44 %). The encounter rate (3.43 km-1) and frequency of occurrence of mithun signs (65%) were high compared to encounter rate (0.19 km-1) and frequency of occurrence (4%) of natural preys. Low encounter rates of wild prey or the lack of optimal prey species and the relatively high encounter rates of free ranging livestock were the causes for the conflict. The loss of mithun has a severe effect on the local community's (Nyishi) economy, culture and sentiments as it plays an integral role in their culture and tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolves (Canis lupus) have recently expanded their distribution range into western and southern Finland, which has not hosted breeding wolves for over 100 years. This has raised concerns and public debate over wolf-livestock conflicts. Between 1998 and 2004 there were 45 wolf attacks on sheep on 34 farms. To assess the risk wolves may pose to sheep husbandry, we used data on depredation, sheep management, landscape structure and moose and wolf populations from continental Finland outside the area of reindeer husbandry to build models of the factors that may predispose sheep farms to wolf depredation. Our results provided evidence that sheep farms with the highest risk of wolf depredation were those located in regions where wolves were abundant. These farms were usually located close to the Russian border where the landscape is a mosaic of forest, wetlands and clear cut areas. These regions are sparsely populated by humans and farms are located far from each other. Finally, we generated probability maps based on generalised additive modelling to predict the risk of wolf predation on livestock in farms of southern Finland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mountain lion has long been considered a serious predator on domestic livestock, primarily sheep, in the state of Nevada. For the past five years (FY77-81), documented losses to lions have averaged 375 animals. While this number is not large, most losses are sustained by only a few individual livestock operators, and the losses constitute a serious economic hardship for these individuals. An average of 23 lions have been taken in response to livestock depredation complaints during each of these five years. Controlling livestock loss to mountain lions is the responsibility of the Animal Damage Control branch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ADC personnel work in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Predatory Animal & Rodent Control Committee and livestock producers in an effort to keep both livestock losses and the number of lions taken on depredation complaints at an acceptable level.

The biological consequences of catch-and-release (C&R) angling revolve around interactions between the physiological and behavioural responses of the captured fish and ecological conditions such as the presence of opportunistic predators. Here, we explored the consequences of C&R on adult permit (Trachinotus falcatus), including assessments of depredation rates, their physiological and reflex responses prior to release, post-release behaviour, and post-release predation in diverse habitats in the Florida Keys, USA. We found pre-capture depredation rates were highly variable amongst habitat types, ranging from zero on shallow water flats, to 35.3% and 90.1% on specific reef and shipwreck locations, respectively. Observed predators were all large sharks. Importantly, one of the high predation sites is an important permit spawning location, thus C&R fishing in that locale may be a conservation concern. Physiological stress responses (blood lactate, glucose, pH) and reflex tests indicated that permit were relatively robust to routine angling (fight durations of 1 to 12 min) and handling (air exposure up to 2 min). Short duration post-release tracking using tri-axial acceleration biologgers identified no differences in swimming activity for fish that were kept in water versus those held in the air for 2 min to simulate an admiration period. While this study indicates that permit are relatively robust to C&R angling in terms of stress responses and behavioural impairment, high densities of opportunistic predators at certain fishing locations can result in high rates of pre-capture depredation independent of the state of the animal. Permit angling in locations with high predator densities is a potential conservation issue, especially if specific locations represent important pre-spawning aggregation sites for fish populations that may be more vulnerable to predation and thus depredation. Current C&R best practices (i.e., limiting fight times and air exposure) may not be adequate to ensure permit survival at high predator density sites. Angling-related depredation is often cryptic, yet is a growing conservation concern in many fisheries – we developed and applied a novel framework for identifying cryptic depredation that may be applicable across fisheries. • Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) show resiliency to catch-and-release angling events. • Depredation represents a potential conservation concern at specific sites in the Florida Keys. • Changes in angler behaviour could effective in supporting conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]