Animal Damage Predation on Domestic Livestock by Large Carnivores

Predation on domestic livestock by large carnivores is an ancient conflict. It was until recently regarded as an aberrant form of behaviour. It is essential to distinguish between an indidual 'cattle lifter', engaged almost exclusively in predation in livestock and feeding on cattle to some extent by the carnivore population throughout its range. In past carnivores responsible for predation on cattle were proscribed for destruction. Today most large carnivores are endangered, and legal provisions to deal with cattle killing carnivores have changed. Wildlife managers are paying more attention to the reasons for such behaviour and measures are being adopted to mitigate the problem Predation on cattle can no longer be considered abnormal since cattle population is distributed widely in large number, grazing mainly in fotested habitats. The protected area have high carnivore support potential but the surrounding buffers and often heavily used multiple area have sub-optional to poor habitat and prey conditions, as such a clear predation differential in terms of cattle killing is observed. Under prevailing conditions cattle killing connot be eliminated but may be reduced through certain precautions. Awarding compensation is one approach to make good the losses of cattle owners. The paper considers several field situations and discusses mitigation approach.