CORRECT IDENTIFICATION OF LIVESTOCK LOSS

WHY CONSERVE PREDATORS??? Predators are indicator species, demonstrating the health of an ecosystem Control numbers and health of prey species Valuable national resource to be protected Generate income through ecotourism and trophy hunting

Theft Theft Poisonous plants Poisonous plants Disease Disease Predator Predator CORRECT CAUSE MUST BE INVESTIGATED WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW???

Predator Identification Tool

Hind Front LION LEOPARD PREDATORS Behaviour and Capabilities  Social, living in prides of up to 16 individuals  Territorial  Males larger than females  Females do most of the hunting  Groups are capable of bringing down buffalo-sized prey  Individual lions are capable of bringing down wildebeest-sized prey  Solitary  Territorial  Males larger than females  Stocky, muscular and a stealthy ambush hunter  Favours trees and is an excellent climber  Capable of bringing down wildebeest- sized prey PREDATOR IDENTIFICATION TOOLS

INVESTIGATION Killed or scavenged Killed or scavenged Bite marks Bite marks Tracks Tracks Carcass location / dragged? Carcass location / dragged?

APPROACHING A CARCASS Scan whole area Scan whole area Keep onlookers in a group to one side Keep onlookers in a group to one side Examine all tracks Examine all tracks Mark site of tracks Mark site of tracks Front and back track sizes can differ Front and back track sizes can differ Record all information Record all information

Killed or scavenged? Skin the neck Skin the neck Look for bruising Look for bruising and bite marks

Big or small carcass / predator

Bite marks

Measurements Cheetah mm (2 fingers) Cheetah mm (2 fingers) Leopard 40 – 46 mm (3 fingers) Leopard 40 – 46 mm (3 fingers) Jackal cm (3/4 - 1 finger) Jackal cm (3/4 - 1 finger) Caracal mm (1 ½ finger) Caracal mm (1 ½ finger) Spotted Hyena mm (3 fingers) Spotted Hyena mm (3 fingers) Brown Hyena 47 – 58 mm (3 fingers) Brown Hyena 47 – 58 mm (3 fingers) Domestic dog mm (3 fingers) Domestic dog mm (3 fingers)

Bite marks on the carcass Width, location

TRACKS Dogs = nails Dogs = nails Dogs = straight at the back of the foot pad Dogs = straight at the back of the foot pad Cats = no nails Cats = no nails Cats = W shape at the back of the foot pad Cats = W shape at the back of the foot pad Dog Dog Cat Cat

Cheetah / Leopard CheetahLeopard

HOW THE CARCASS HAS BEEN EATEN Long bones Long bones Intestines Intestines Internal organs Internal organs Remains Remains Covered / dragged Covered / dragged

Will chase down and bite prey animal as it runs. May result in messy kill with numerous bite marks all over the body. No claw marks. Usually ambush then chase prey. Very clean killers, most will deliver a killing bite to the throat or back of the neck. Claw marks will be evident. DogsCats

Lion

Lion Lion home ranges can be anywhere between 150 and 2000 Km 2 They are social, territorial animals and females often hunt together. A group of lions is capable of killing prey as large as cow or buffalo and a single lion can take down a wildebeest sized prey. They are mainly active at night and may take animals out in the veld and from poor kraals. They may eat the whole animal but the large bones will remain. 150 Km Km 2 CCB farm

Leopard

Leopard Leopard home ranges are often between 30 and 80 Km2 CCB farm 80 Km 2 30 Km 2 They are solitary, territorial animals that hunt alone. They are excellent climbers and often hide their kills in trees. Leopards are capable of killing prey as large as wildebeest but rarely take fully grown cattle. They are usually nocturnal and will take unprotected livestock from poor kraals and out in the veld.

Cheetah

Cheetah Cheetah home ranges can be as small as 200 Km 2 and as large as 1500 Km 2 Female cheetah are often solitary but males may live in small groups. They may hunt together or alone. Cheetah are poor climbers and prefer open habitats. They usually take small to medium sized antelope species. There are most active during the morning and evening and usually involved in conflict out in the veld. They are not active at night. They generally kill by strangulation on the throat. CCB farm 200 Km Km 2

African Wild Dog

Except when denning, African Wild Dogs are effectively nomadic some recorded ranges have been between 420 and 1300 Km 2 Wild dogs are social and live in packs. They hunt together and are capable of killing kudu sized prey. They can be a concern to farmers as can take fully grown cattle, however, they can be deterred by human presence They are most active during the morning and the evening and more likely to cause conflict out in the veld than in the kraal. CCB farm 420 Km Km 2

Brown hyena

Brown Hyena Brown Hyena ranges have been recorded from approx. to over 900 Km 2 Brown hyena are most often solitary but males sometimes form small groups or clans. They are primarily scavengers but are capable of killing small antelope sized prey. They are active at night and may take very young livestock from poorly built kraals. CCB farm 900 Km Km 2

Spotted hyena

Spotted Hyena Spotted Hyena ranges are also variable ranges of 40 to 1100 Km 2 have been recorded Spotted hyena live in large groups called clans. They are scavengers and hunters capable of killing zebra sized prey. They are active at night and may take livestock from poorly built kraals. They are hunt similar to dog species and often only large bones will remain. CCB farm 1100 Km 2 40 Km 2

Jackal

Jackal Jackal territories can be small and are approximately 10 to 100 Km 2 in area. Jackal are social and often live in mated pairs, they are scavengers and hunters capable of killing small antelope sized prey. They usually hunt during the morning and evening and can take young livestock. CCB farm 10 Km Km 2

Domestic dog

Domestic Dog Dog ranges can be very small if they are near a reliable food source but feral dogs can range over 100 Km 2 in area. Dogs are social and if feral live in packs, they are scavengers and hunters capable of killing domestic livestock. They are often not effective killers and may injure a number of livestock without killing them. They can be active during the day and night. CCB farm 3 Km Km 2

Caracal Less common conflict animals

Serval

African wild cat

Non - conflict animals Aardwolf

Bat eared fox

Aardvark

Honey Badger

IN SUMMARY Be informed Be informed Know your predators Know your predators Know your other animals Know your other animals Strive to keep improving Strive to keep improving your livestock management your livestock management Participate in community efforts to find solutions to human/wildlife conflict Participate in community efforts to find solutions to human/wildlife conflict

THREE SOLUTIONS TO LIVESTOCK LOSSES MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT YOU ARE THE MANAGER… YOU ARE THE SOLUTION