Extent and Patterns of Livestock Depredation in Mexico

Abstract

Human-carnivore conflicts arising from livestock depredation can impact both livestock producers and carnivore populations. We used livestock depredation insurance claims from 2 895 depredation events involving 7 411 livestock throughout Mexico to evaluate the diversity of carnivores and livestock involved in depredations and identify attributes related to species-specific livestock depredation sites and carnivore predation patterns. Cattle comprised 48% of depredation events, followed by sheep (36%), goats (13%), equids (2%), and hogs (< 1%). Coyotes were responsible for 28% of depredation events, followed by domestic dogs (27%), pumas (22%), jaguars (15%), and bears (5%). Both kill sites of differing livestock species and predation patterns of carnivores varied with respect to predator responsible or prey killed, landscape attributes, and season; patterns reflected primarily species-specific habitat preferences, livestock husbandry practices, and tolerances of carnivores for human impacts. Our results indicate that the greatest challenge of managing depredation conflicts in Mexico is that depredations by carnivores that kill the most livestock (coyote, domestic dog) are facilitated by increasing human impacts and the canid's adaptability. Depredations associated with carnivores limited to relatively rare ecological conditions (e.g., proximity to protected natural areas [PNAs]) can be mitigated by cultural changes, such as avoiding establishing new livestock production areas near PNAs, or new PNAs adjacent to traditional livestock production areas. Opportunities to limit ecologically and sociologically problematic impacts such as retaliatory killing of carnivores include accurate identification of the actual depredating carnivore.