Wild Predators, Livestock, and Free Ranging Dogs: Patterns of Livestock Mortality and Attitudes of People Toward Predators in an Urbanizing Trans-Himalayan Landscape

Livestock depredation by large carnivores is a significant source of conflicts over predators and an important conservation and economic concern. Preventing livestock loss to wild predators is a substantial focus of human-carnivore conflict mitigation programs. A key assumption of the preventive strategy is reduction in the livestock losses leading to a positive shift in the attitudes toward predators. Therefore, it is important to quantify the true extent of livestock mortality caused by wild predators and its influence on attitudes of the affected communities. We examined seasonal and spatial patterns of livestock mortality and factors influencing people's attitudes toward wild predators i.e., snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and wolves (Canis lupus chanco) and free-ranging dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in a Trans-Himalayan urbanizing landscape in India. We used systematic sampling to select the survey households and implemented a semi-structured questionnaire to respondents. The sampled villages (n = 16) represent a mosaic of urban and agricultural ecosystems within a radius of 40 km of Leh town. In 2016–2017, 93% of the sampled households lost livestock to predators, accounting for 0.93 animals per household per year. However, of the total events of livestock mortality, 33% were because of weather/natural events, 24% by snow leopards, 20% because of disease, 15% because of free-ranging dogs and 9% because of wolves. The annual economic loss per household because of livestock mortality was USD 371, a substantial loss given the average per capita income of USD 270 in the region. Of the total loss, weather/natural events caused highest loss of USD 131 (35%), followed by snow leopards USD 91 (25%), disease USD 87 (24%), free ranging dogs USD 48 (13%), and wolves USD 14 (4%). Despite losing a considerable proportion of livestock (33 %) to wild predators, respondents showed a positive attitude toward them but exhibited neutral attitudes toward free-ranging dogs. Gender emerged as the most important determinant of attitudes toward wild predators, with men showing higher positive attitude score toward wild predators than women. Our findings highlight the context specific variation in human-wildlife interactions and emphasize that generalizations must be avoided in the absence of site specific evidence.

Factors and features of manifestation and distribution of rabies on the territory of the Republic of Tuva

The dynamics and features of animal rabies manifestation on the territory of the Republic of Tuva have been studied. In the Republic of Tuva in the period of 1979-2019 outbreaks of rabies were reported in 1979, 1987, 2007-2009, 2012-2014, 2018-2019. There were 79 adverse locations revealed with 127 laboratory confirmed cases of rabies of four species of wild animals, two domestic carnivores and four agricultural animals. For the first time the cause of the outbreak of rabies was the introduction of infection by wild carnivores from adverse neighboring regions and Mongolia. Subsequently, a natural focus of rabies developed on the territory of the region. The epidemic process of rabies proceeded with five waves of intensity exacerbation, which was facilitated by a sharp increase in the population of wild carnivores, especially wolves, as well as an uncontrolled population of stray dogs with the involvement of domestic and farm animals in the epizootic process. The spread of the disease is influenced by the natural and climatic conditions of the region, the traditional distant pasture management of livestock with the movement of livestock to pastures adjacent to the habitat of wild predators. Domestic and farm animals are attacked by predators, most often wolves and foxes. Infection of animals and humans with rabies occurs through bites with saliva. As a result, rabies foci appear in these areas. Zones of high and low degree of epizootic danger and zones free from rabies have been identified on the territory of the Republic of Tuva. The high-risk areas include the steppe and semi-desert territories of the Ubsu-Nur and Tuva depressions. The mountain-taiga Todzhinsky and Tere-Kholsky regions of the eastern zone are classified as areas of low epizootic danger; Pii-Khem and Kaa-Khem regions of the Yenisei basin of the central zone are classified as rabies-free.

Pattern of human dhole interaction in buffer area of Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve

Human-wildlife conflict is a serious problem to conservation efforts worldwide. This is also true for Bhutan, where carnivores depredate livestock of farmers, affecting farmer’s livelihood, however, there is sparse documentation on the extent of human dhole interaction in Bhutan’s some of the important areas of conservation interest. Therefore the aim of this research was to evaluate the extent of human dhole interaction, income lost due to depredation and the perception of the farmers towards dhole conservation. Data were collected from 160 households within two strata of rural and semi-urban area in western Bhutan through semi-structured questionnaire and focused group discussions. Livestock depredation involved seven predators, which caused loss of 5% of the total average annual income of the farmers; which were significantly different between the predators involved. Dhole killed significantly more livestock than other predators and maximum kills were made in rural area than semi urban area. 60% of the incomes lost due to wild predators were caused by dhole with major impact in rural area. Majority of the respondents from rural area exhibited negative attitude towards dhole conservation. They suggested livestock depredation compensation schemes and other livelihood alternatives to minimize the impact of conflict, whereas majority of the respondents from semi-urban suggested electric fencing around their village as measures to reduce human wildlife conflict. Livestock compensation and insurance schemes, integrated conservation development programs, educational outreach programs with other livelihood alternatives such as ecotourism are recommended as intervention strategies to minimize human dhole conflict and create harmonic co-existence.

Comparative Analysis of Features of Epizootiological and Epidemic Situation and Risk of Rabies Infection in the Russian Federation in Early XXI Century

The review provides an analysis of the current rabies epidemic situation in the Russian Federation and describes the dynamics of epizootic indicators, such as the epizootic index and infection density. The risk of rabies infection and the characteristics of the epizootic process in various regions of the country were studied. In 2012–2018 in comparison with 2000–2011, a 1.5–fold decrease in the activity of the epizootic process was noted, despite the expansion of the virus areal. The decrease in human hydrophobia morbidity in reference to the long-term average of 3–5 times was revealed. An increase in the value of the dog, cat and raccoon dog in human infection and a decrease of the fox role in this process have been established. The risk of rabies infection remained in almost all regions of the country. During 2012–2018 safe regions were the Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Irkutsk, Sakhalin, Kamchatka Territory. In the Kaliningrad Region, animal cases have stopped since 2013 due to the successful use of oral vaccination of wild predators as an effective method of combating natural foci of rabies. In 2019, 3 lethal cases of lissavirus infection were recorded: two after bat bites in the Amur Region and Primorsky Territory, and one in the Moscow Region imported from Tajikistan after a dog bite. Typical cases of rabies in Russia associated with terrestrial mammals were not detected in 2019.

Unnatural Pumas and Domestic Foxes: Relations with Protected Predators and Conspiratorial Rumours in Southern Chile

Human–wildlife conflicts involving protected predators are a major social and environmental problem worldwide. A critical aspect in such conflicts is the role of state institutions regarding predators’ conservation, and how this is construed by affected local populations. These interpretations are frequently embodied in conspiratorial rumours, sharing some common traits related to wild and domestic categories, spatial ordering and power relations. In southern Chile, a one-year, multi-sited ethnographic study of human–animal relations in and adjacent to protected areas was undertaken, foregrounding conspiratorial rumours concerning protected predators. Through an analysis of this study and related international cases, this article argues that the uncritical dismissal of rumours and the categories used to interpret such conflicts have detrimental impacts on the conservation of wild predators. Such rumours should be understood as significant comment devices within human–animal relations and the power dynamics that frame human groups affected by them.

Deep neural network and field experiments reveal how transparent wing windows reduce detectability in moths

Lepidoptera – a group of insects in which wing transparency has arisen multiple times - exhibit much variation in the size and position of transparent wing zones. However, little is known as to how this variability affects detectability. Here, we test how the size and position of transparent elements affect predation of artificial moths by wild birds in the field. We also test whether deep neural networks (DNNs) might be a reasonable proxy for live predators, as this would enable one to rapidly test a larger range of hypotheses than is possible with live animals. We compare our field results with results from six different DNN architectures (AlexNet, VGG-16, VGG-19, ResNet-18, SqueezeNet, and GoogLeNet). Our field experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of transparent elements touching wing borders at reducing detectability, but showed no effect of transparent element size. DNN simulations only partly matched field results, as larger transparent elements were also harder for DNNs to detect. The lack of consistency between wild predators’ and DNNs’ responses raises questions about what both experiments were effectively testing, what is perceived by each predator type, and whether DNNs can be considered to be effective models for testing hypotheses about animal perception and cognition.

Herders and livestock professionals’ experiences and perceptions on developments and challenges in yak farming in Bhutan

Context The yak-based transhumant system is influenced by socioeconomic developments, regulations and environmental changes. Little is known about the impact of this on yak farming practices among different regions in Bhutan. Aim and methods The experienced changes in yak farming practices over the years and perceptions on developments were assessed through interviews with yak herders in three regions (west, n = 22; central, n = 20; east, n = 25) and with livestock extensionists (n = 28). Key results At present, forage shortage in the rangeland, yak mortality mainly due to (endangered) wild predators and, to a lesser extent, labour availability are the main concerns in all yak farming regions. These concerns have increased due to socioeconomic developments (e.g. education and other sources of income) and strong conservation policy, which affects the living environment of the yaks. Overall, the market to sell yak products and livestock extension services has improved, but forage shortage and yak mortality has increased over the years. However, some factors causing forage shortage are more specific to certain regions, e.g. competition with the horse population (west), cattle and cattle–yak hybrids (east), cordyceps collection (west and central) and prohibited burning of rangelands (central and east). Family labour available to herd yaks has slightly decreased, and the number of young family members (successors) to take over yak farming has decreased over the years. Conclusions On the basis of the experiences and perceptions of yak herders and extensionists, we conclude that increasing forage shortage in the rangelands, decreasing numbers of successors, and increasing yak predation by wild animals are the major threats to yak farming. Implications This study demonstrates that yak farming in Bhutan experiences an increasing pressure to sustain. Differences between regions make clear that a one blanket-policy will not be effective to preserve yak farming for the future.

Maasai Relationships with and Perceptions of Dogs in Northern Tanzania

Semi-structured interviews with 26 Maasai adults in one pastoralist, northern Tanzanian community showed that dogs were considered owned by one household, allowed to roam, and fed regularly. Interviewees strongly valued that dogs warn of wild predators threatening livestock, which provide nearly all human food and income, but most liked dogs only moderately, and only a few expressed affection for dogs. Participants disliked that dogs steal food, create disturbances, sometimes threaten people, and spread disease to humans. The strong utilitarian attitude toward dogs might be from poor economic security, frequent death of all Maasai non-human animals, and mostly non-expressive culture. Although dogs cause nearly all of the substantial Tanzanian human rabies cases, few dogs were vaccinated although most people would pay if the vaccine were available. These dogs also present disease risks to wildlife, so vaccination programs, facilitated by perceived ownership of all dogs, could reduce hazards to people and wildlife.