Predation on livestock by large carnivores in the tropical lowlands of Guatemala

• Published in: Oryx Vol. 45; no. 4; pp. 561 - 568
• Main Authors: Soto-Shoender, José R., Giuliano, William M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2011
• Subjects: Canis latrans; Carnivore; carnivores; Cattle; coyote; Forests; Guatemala; human settlements; humans; human–carnivore conflict; jaguar; landscapes; Livestock; lowlands; males; mortality; outreach; Panthera onca; Predation; probability; puma; Puma concolor; ranchers; Ranches; ranching; surface water; Wildlife conservation; Guatemala; Mesoamerica; human–carnivore conflict; coyote; Guatemala; predation; puma; Carnivore; jaguar
• ISSN: 0030-6053; 1365-3008; 1365-3008
• DOI: 10.1017/S0030605310001845

Conflict with humans is a significant source of mortality in carnivore populations yet information on this issue is lacking for some areas where threatened carnivores such as the jaguar Panthera onca interact with humans. We interviewed cattle ranchers to examine patterns of predation on livestock by carnivores in the tropical lowlands of Guatemala and to determine if the ranchers applied management practices recommended to prevent such predation by large felids. Additionally, we compared ranches with and without attacks on livestock to determine whether ranch characteristics and landscape structure near ranches explains the variations in the occurrence of livestock predation by carnivores. Cattle losses to carnivores represented 0.7% of the cattle stock in all ranches surveyed. Jaguars were most often accused of livestock attacks (suggesting a negative perception of this felid in the area), followed by pumas Puma concolor and coyotes Canis latrans. Males and smaller cattle were most often attacked and general patterns of attacks on livestock were similar to sites previously studied in the neotropics. Landscape structure around ranches (e.g. forest cover, distance to forest, bodies of water and human settlements) best explained the probability of predation on livestock. Outreach programmes and conflict mitigation measures need to be implemented for those ranches that are distant from human settlements but near forest cover and water sources. The co-occurrence of predation by jaguars, pumas and coyotes is particular to Mesoamerica and conflict mitigation strategies proposed in studies elsewhere may need to be altered, and evaluated, to be effective in this region.