Livestock depredation by large carnivores in the South Gobi, Mongolia
Tserennadmid Nadia Mijiddorj A B F , Justine Shanti Alexander C , Gustaf Samelius C D E , Ruchi Badola G , G. S. Rawat G and Sutirtha Dutta G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National University of Mongolia, PO Box 774, Ulaanbaatar 44, Mongolia.
B Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation, Sukhbaatar District, 4th Khoroo, 53-9 Ulan Baatar, Mongolia.
C Snow Leopard Trust. 4649 Sunnyside Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103, USA.
D Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
E Nordens Ark, Åby Säteri, 456 93 Hunnebostrand, Sweden.
F Corresponding author. Email: nadia@snowleopard.org
G The Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
Wildlife Research 45(3) 237-246 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR18009
Submitted: 11 September 2017 Accepted: 18 March 2018 Published: 15 June 2018
Abstract
Context: Livestock depredation is a major conservation challenge around the world, causing considerable economical losses to pastoral communities and often result in retaliatory killing. In Mongolia, livestock depredation rates are thought to be increasing due to changes in pastoral practices and the transformation of wild habitats into pasture lands. Few studies have examined the interactions between humans and carnivores and even fewer have considered how recent changes in pastoral practices may affect depredation rates.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the influence of herding practices on self-reported livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves in two communities in South Gobi, Mongolia.
Methods: In total, 144 herder households were interviewed and an information-theoretic approach was used to analyse the factors influencing self-reported livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves.
Key results: The majority of self-reported losses to both snow leopards and wolves occurred when herds were left unattended in the pastures. The economic loss associated with livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves amounted to an average loss of US$825 per herder and year. The number of livestock owned by a household and the frequency of shifting campsite had the strongest influence on livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves. Other determinants of livestock losses included frequency of visiting the soum (county) centre.
Implications: On the basis of the findings, we make recommendations for mitigating the conflict with large carnivores, with focus on guiding future herding practices.
Additional keywords: co-existence, livestock, pastoralism.
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