Predators on Farms -

Protecting sheep first and allowing predators to establish natural territories has given improved farming results and helps the environment. There are many methods to choose from. The alpacas in the picture above are a very effective guardian with the added benefit of income from their fleece.

Predator Management on Livestock Farms
Protecting livestock first rather than killing predators

Farmers experience high and unaffordable livestock losses every year. There are many causes of such losses, namely natural mortality (disease, exposure, mis-mothering, birth problems and defects, etc) and predation could be blamed as a result of primary predation or secondary predation as a result of the natural vulnerability. Whatever the cause, it is abundantly clear that husbandry practices is the main determinant of the level of losses. It is in this sphere that the Landmark Foundation believes the solution lies. The "reported" problem of losses of sheep, goats and cattle to predators results in widespread unnecessary human-wildlife conflict and has been ongoing for centuries. After centuries of application of lethal predator controls, the farming communities are the first to admit that the problem has worsened, and we ask thus if the problem has worsened, whether it is not clear that indiscriminate lethal control is ineffective?

A comparative trial with over 16 000 stock units in the Baviaanskloof and Jansenville area showed a 56—97 % reduction in livestock losses when non-lethal management methods were used. These methods included the introduction of livestock guarding dogs, protective livestock collars adaptive livestock grazing management.

Input and running costs per year of non-lethal predator management were less than when compared with the costs of lethal controls used previously. Research is ongoing, assessing the role played by livestock husbandry practices, heard health, stock rotations and the effects of disease and climatic conditions on reported losses. This has not been adequately studied, however research indicates that predators may cause fewer losses than initially thought. Predators are frequently incorrectly identified as being the primary cause of reported large-scale losses.

Non-lethal & protective management - Why do it ?

The Landmark Foundation is committed to establishing effective management methods that are ecologically and ethically acceptable. Less than 20% of South Africa is under conservation and species extinction is happening at an alarming rate. We need to build economies that are based on conservation of our natural resources.

The standards we promote for predator management support a healthy ecosystem and the conservation of endangered species. At the same time they support agricultural and related economic activities. Management includes the use of guardian animals like dogs, donkeys and alpacas, shepherds, protective livestock collars, alarm systems, and a variety of other detterent and barrier methods.

These methods are recommended to be used holistically as part of an adaptive and dynamic management plan. No single method will be 100 % effective on its own. They work best when applied in combination. These strategies have shown improved production with higher financial returns.

Some argue that predators, jackals especially, learn to adapt these strategies. They can and occasional losses will still occur but nothing like the widespread losses experienced while using lethal controls.

One farmer with Anatolian dogs reported that he now sleeps soundly at night enjoying the call of the jackal knowing his sheep are protected. He can count his losses on his hands including those lost to disease and bad mothering. His neighbour experiences up to 40 % losses and spends his nights still hunting jackal and caracal.

Lethal control has input and running costs comparable to the costs of converting to non-lethal management. Both tables illustrate this and show just how great the savings can be with these farms generating between R75 000 and R100 000 more each year.

A Balanced Ecosystem Supports Farming
Territorialism in predators as a management tool

The territorial nature in predator populations (some individually territorial, others in group structures) is now much more widely understood and appreciated. When a predator is removed from an area another one will simply move into it from a neighbouring area (as illustrated in the graph below on the left). To add to this jackal and caracal are secondary predators known to breed in response to threat as their dominance structures of territoriality are broken down. This could explain why even though professional hunters are hired at great expense every six weeks to three months, farms still report high livestock losses and a "predator problem".

The two maps below on the right illustrate this. Each green dot is a jackal and each red dot a caracal killed and recorded by a district "problem animal hunter". What can be seen is that the same amount of predators where killed over three years between 2002 and 2005 that were killed in the 10 years preceding. The problem of livestock losses has not been resolved by hunting them. (Data attributed to C Kernsey)

1992 - 2002

2002 - 2005

(Left) predators maintain territories (as indicated by the differnet coloured circle). Dispersal or floater individuals of a species move between territorial animals spaces and into areas where territorialism has been eradicated . (Right) Each dot on these two maps is a jackal (green) or a caracal (red) hunted by professional "problem animal hunter".These maps shows a marked increase in predator numbers while lethal controls are used.

With territorial adults and top predators like the leopard removed from the ecosystem sub adult jackal are able to breed. Litter sizes of 8 - 9 pups have been recored for these sub adult jackals. Under normal social structures and ecologically controlled conditions, jackal would only be able to breed at about 2 - 3 years of age with litters of 4-6 pups.

Not every predator is a "problem" predator. By allowing territorial animals to co-exist on farms where livestock is protected, predators establish territories essential for keeping a healthy eco-system. Predators predate on a number of small animals including rodents, snakes, guinea fowl, rabbits, spring hairs, porcupines and baboons amongst others. They keep these animal's populations genetically strong, healthy and balanced and will "control" their own numbers in stable social structures.

The Responsibility of Ethical Care of Our Wildlife

As citizens of a civilized and progressive nation there is a responsibility and duty of care for all living creatures in ethical ways. This applies to everyone whether in the conservation, game farming, agricultural, retail or consumer sectors.

Can we continue to kill, maim and destroy the environment? Our current global ecological crisis shows it cannot continue. Species extinction and resource exhaustion are looming realities that must to be stopped.

The ethics comes into it as we have choice... that choice is yours.

The leopard on the left died in gin trap on a farm that received the highest prices for its mohair on the international market in 2009. Should these practices be financially rewarded? We say NO and that green branding (Fair Game) is an answer where all role players can participate in creating a conservation economy.

An Anatolian livestock guardian dog proudly protects it's flock of angora goats in the Karoo, RSA

Successful Use of Non-lethal Management Methods

Many farmers have tried various non-lethal methods and have had varying results. No method is 100% fool proof. What they do promise is great improvements compared to lethal controls, and a system of conserving the species diversity that exists on your farm.

QUESTIONS TO ASK IN CONSIDERING THE CHANGE TO NON-LETHAL PREDATOR MANAGEMENT

Lethal control has been used for 300 years and yet farmers associations are claiming over 1 billion Rand worth of damages to predators each year - does lethal control really work?
Advice on predator management often comes from hunting outfitters or suppliers of lethal controls who earn a living from killing predators - whose best interests are at heart?
11 billion rands has been spent on predator proof fencing yet the problem remains. One of the results of this is that aardvark, porcupines and other small mammals are also killed as their natural needs are to move across territories resulting in burrows under fences - is this sustainable?
Social pressure is a factor affecting what methods are used - what is your choice?

FARMERS HAVE REDUCED THEIR LOSSES BY 60-90% USING NON-LETHAL & ETHICAL MANAGEMENT

Download Farmers Manual FREE ('Predator Management on Livestock Farms' by Landmark Foundation at the Wildlife Campus Online, option no. 4)
Contact Landmark for Breeders & Supliers
Advice on How to Rear the Best Guardian Dog for your Livestock (coming soon)
Contact Us.

FARMING SUCCESS STORIES
(coming soon)

BE ACCREDITED

Fair Game is a fully accredited 3rd party independent audited green label that recognizes farmers for their ecological and ethical commitments.
We are driving to get this brand to become a household name.

Please contact us if you are interested in participating.

Recommended methods

GAURDIAN ANIMALS

Livestock Guarding Dogs
Dogs of various breeds have been used to successfully protect livestock from predation. The Anatolian is being used extensively in Southern Africa. It is recognised that several other breeds and hybrid dogs are effective.

Donkeys
Donkeys have proven themselves very efficient at chas-ing away predators and other intruders. They can kick and bite, are vocal and are instinctively herd animals

Alapacas
Alpacas belong to the camelid family and are primarily fleece producing animals. Like all camelids they are gregarious, intelligent, hardy and have a strong herding instinct. As a herder it will run an intruder down, stamp on it with its front legs, and spit on it. Males develop sharp fighting canines

SHEPHERDS

Herdsmen remain a highly effective means of protecting flocks. Shepherding was once a common practice. This has now disappeared as farms are more extensive. They remain very effective.

BARRIERS

Dead stop and King protection collars
There are different forms of protective collars namely Dead-stop and King collars. The collars provide a physical barrier to the neck of livestock, as it is the most likely area where a predator will bite.

Success has been measured against feline predation with the Dead-stop collars. In the case of jackals success is marginally less due to the fact that they adapt quickly and can learn to kill by biting on other parts of the body

DETERRENT DEVICES

Bell collars
Bell collars have been used with mixed success. It is recommended to use them intermittently at specific times, for example during lambing season. Predators can become desensitized to them if used continuously. They work well in conjunction with a livestock guarding animal as the bell alerts the guardian.

Fencing
Fencing has been used as a deterrent to predation for many years and provides an effective means of protec-tion when used. Fencing has many ecological problems and needs to be cautiously applied.

Other methods

Smart Technology: The Veldwagter System
Protagtor Shepherd Collars
Noises, lights and smells
Breed Selection
For detailed information and contact numbers please view the manual.

Download the whole manual FREE at Wildlife Campus

Predator Management on Livestock FarmsProtecting livestock first rather than killing predators