Lethal Control Research Articles

Genetic structure and common ancestry expose the dingo-dog hybrid myth

Abstract The evolutionary history of canids has been shown to be complex, with hybridization and domestication confounding our understanding of speciation among various canid lineages. The dingo is a recent canid lineage that was completely isolated from other canids for over 5000 years on the Australian mainland, but the introduction of domestic dogs in 1788 has placed doubt on its independence, with recent studies highlighting hybridization between dingoes and domestic dogs. Using genomic single nucleotide polymorphism data from 434 Australian canid samples, we explicitly test for introgression between closely related canid groups and dingoes. We found no evidence of introgression between dingoes and domestic dogs and show that previous work has likely mischaracterized shared ancestral genetic variation as evidence for hybridization. Further, New Guinea Singing Dogs are the only canid group that significantly shared genetic variation with dingoes, which fits with our understanding of previous phylogenetic analyses. Despite more recent sympatric distributions with dogs, dingoes have likely maintained their independence since their arrival in Australia, even in areas with high lethal control, indicating that their evolutionary trajectory is currently being conserved. The future conservation of the dingo lineage will require policies that promote coexistence pathways between humans and dingoes that protect rangeland systems and the dingoes’ evolutionary future.

A landscape-based approach to design flower blocks may reduce mammalian predator activity and protect ground-nesting farmland birds

AbstractHigh predation rates threaten many ground-nesting farmland birds and are difficult to address through conventional measures such as lethal predator control or fencing. Landscape-based approaches for conservation measures promise an alternative by reducing predator - bird encounters, but require detailed knowledge of landscape effects on predation risk. Different habitat elements attractive to predators could have opposing effects on neighbouring nesting habitats, with implications for conservation: Increased predation risk due to higher predator activity (A) or reduced predation risk by distracting predators (B). Here we focus on the placement of conservation measures using flower blocks targeted at Grey Partridges in a Central European Farmland. Based on a three-year camera trap dataset, we investigated effects of landscape structure and composition on mammalian predator activity within flower blocks at two scales (100 m and 500 m radius around the camera) with generalized linear mixed models. Length of linear edge structures, i.e., field block borders, was most important, with a greater availability of linear edge structures leading to a decrease in predator activity at both scales (hypothesis B). Conversely, predator captures at both scales increased with increasing extensive vegetation area (i.e., permanent grassland, flower blocks and fallows) and in proximity to roads, indicating that these may attract predators and increase predator densities (hypothesis A). Our results suggest that a landscape-based approach can mitigate predation risk for ground-nesting birds in flower blocks and analogous conservation measures. Highly structured, small-scale agricultural landscapes seem to be particularly important for reducing mammalian predator activity in flower blocks.

Relative abundance of a mesocarnivore in a human-dominated, semi-arid rangeland in Namibia

Mesocarnivores fill important roles in ecological communities globally, but their distribution and abundance are often understudied. Many species have historically been regarded as vermin and subject to lethal control due to their role in livestock predation. Identifying the factors influencing mesocarnivore populations can help disentangle their relationship within ecological communities and inform conflict mitigation and conservation priorities. To help identify these factors, we used camera traps to study the community of medium and large mammals in four communal conservancies of northeastern Namibia covering the wet and dry seasons using 99 and 97 camera trap stations, respectively. We modelled black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) abundance using the robust Royle-Nichols model. Black-backed jackal were widespread, with a mean per site abundance of 2.01 (SD=0.66) in the wet season and 2.41 (SD=0.49) in the dry season. Black-backed jackal showed seasonally contrasting covariate associations, with lower abundance in areas with medium and large-sized wild prey during the wet season, and higher abundance in areas with more villages and close to African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) dens in the dry season. We identified localized hotspots of black-backed jackal abundance during the dry season, which may indicate that when resources are scarce, black-backed jackals rely on anthropogenic food sources despite an elevated risk for conflict, and on carcass remains from African wild dog kills. These findings highlight potential drivers of mesocarnivore abundance that would be obscured in a conventional occurrence modelling framework, and illustrate how local abundance may be influenced by seasonal variability, wild and anthropogenic food sources, and a likely facilitative relationship with a large carnivore. Further investigations in areas with more complex carnivore guilds and higher density of dominant predators are needed to understand black-backed jackal-African wild dog interactions and impacts on population dynamics.

Ecological Dominance Orientation as a predictor of Wildlife Value Orientations and Support for Lethal Wildlife Management

While many environmental psychologists have relied on the Wildlife Value Orientations (WVOs) scale to understand the individual patterns in cognitions and behaviors related to wildlife, limits in scope constrain its application across other topics. Conversely, Ecological Dominance Orientation (EDO), defined as preference to maintain an anthropocentric arrangement between humans and the natural environment, has demonstrated applicability across a variety of contexts. Despite both constructs being applied in the field, the relationship between the two constructs remains understudied. We sought to understand the associations between EDO and WVO within the context of support for lethal control of deer within two communities located in Georgia, USA. Results suggest that EDO strongly predicted WVOs and had a strong, positive direct and indirect effect on support for lethal control. Future research centered on EDO may help bridge our understanding of individuals’ beliefs about wildlife and other parts of the natural world.

Socio-demographic factors influencing locals’ responses to human-wildlife conflicts in societies living adjacent to Swagaswaga Game Reserve, Tanzania

Understanding the factors that shape local people responses is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate and manage conflicts between humans and wildlife while safeguarding the well-being of both. This study assessed the factors that influence the locals’ responses regarding human wildlife conflicts (HWCs) in villages surrounding Swagaswaga Game Reserve in Tanzania, where human population growth has led to increased competition for natural resources between humans and wildlife. We found a substantial majority (71%) of respondents having experienced HWCs, while others (29%) have not encountered such conflicts. A logistic regression analysis tested various independent variables to determine their significance in predicting locals’ responses to HWCs. Our results indicated that the district of residence and the age category of respondents significantly influenced their reactions to HWCs, with district identity being the most significant predictor of these responses. Additionally, the study presents pairwise comparisons of measures taken by local people to mitigate HWCs, showing preferences for non-lethal strategies such as guiding (patrol) and growing alternative crops over lethal control. Moreover, the construction of physical barriers, such as fences and steel bars, was favored over lethal control methods. Unlike previous studies, this research provides targeted guidance for conservation and management strategies that are tailored to the unique needs and preferences of the local communities surrounding Swagaswaga Game Reserve and other areas globally with similar contexts. Therefore, this study extends our understanding of HWC in Tanzania by offering detailed insights into the specific factors that shape local responses and their preferences for mitigation measures.

Assessment of conflicts under human-wildlife interactions: An application of the conservation conflict transformation model in communities adjacent to Nyerere National Park, Tanzania

Conflicts arising from human-wildlife interactions (HWIs) pose a significant challenge in communities neighboring Nyerere National Park. To achieve long-term conservation success, it is critical to understand and resolve complex social conflicts. Currently, most attention is focused on addressing dispute-related conflicts, whereas underlying, and identity-based conflicts are understudied, resulting in inadequate information in literature regarding underlying and identity-based conflicts that drive social conflicts. Through the use of the Conservation Conflict Transformation Model (CCT), this study aimed to identify existing conflicts across three levels of conflict and assess current intervention strategies employed within the study area. Based on data collected from 324 respondents through questionnaire surveys, the study revealed that the dispute level of conflicts was lower than the underlying and identity-based levels of conflicts, emphasizing the limited scope of addressing conflicts solely at the dispute level within the context of conflicts arising from HWIs. To alleviate conflicts at the dispute level, respondents employed both lethal and non-lethal control techniques, with a preference for non-lethal methods. Additionally, socio-demographic factors including age, gender, household size, respondent's attitude towards wildlife, and residence significantly influenced the implementation of intervention strategies (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the findings revealed that respondents faced several challenges, including a lengthy incident reporting process for conflicts arising from HWIs, lack of consolation payment for damages, exclusionary practices, and lack of transparency in seeking assistance from local, wildlife, and government authorities. Overall, the study recommends adopting and implementing a holistic approach aligned with the CCT model to effectively address conflicts under HWIs. Future research should focus on thorough case studies and actual applications of the CCT model to manage conflicts under HWIs.

Friend or foe? Engaging public can save the critically endangered common hamster (Cricetus cricetus)

AbstractThe common hamster (Cricetus cricetus) occupies a controversial position among mammals inhabiting agricultural areas, as it is possibly the only critically endangered species that is legally targeted by lethal control methods, making it a conflict‐generating pest. We surveyed various stakeholders, agrarian consultants, wildlife rangers, and residents for the first time in Hungary, with two interrelated questionnaires to obtain accurate information about hamster populations, and to learn about the participants knowledge of, and attitude toward hamsters in order to provide fundamental information for planning and strengthening social embeddedness. Additionally, we prepared the current distribution map of the hamster. Based on the relatively wide distribution and locally high abundance of the species, Hungary has a key role in hamster conservation. We identified several factors, which can contribute to successful species protection. The results indicated that more than 60% of the respondent's liked hamsters. In contrast, only a few residents considered hamsters in their settlement to be beneficial. Our results suggest that the hamster's reputation is disproportionately negative due to vaguely known perceptions of harm as compared with actual reported damage. This imbalance could be rectified through enhanced communication efforts. Improving the species' reputation is integral to effective species conservation initiatives. Current pest control practices (poisons and snap traps) kill the hamsters, even though 82% of the residents would prefer to keep the hamsters alive, conforming to conservation efforts. The results also indicated that the hamster could be a flagship species in Hungary. Knowledge of the protected status of the hamster predicted a positive attitude toward the species and related to nature conservation consciousness. We conclude that requirements of residents should be included in the species action plan along with the experts' knowledge, as this could contribute to successful, long‐term conservation of the hamster.

Grey wolves (Canis lupus) shift selection of anthropogenic landscape features following predator control in the Nearctic boreal forest

Conserving endangered species sometimes involves killing their predators. In the case of Nearctic wolves (Canis lupus), rarely are lethal control measures examined for ancillary effects on predator behaviour or community responses in a before-after design. We examined wolf relative abundance and spatial distribution in a northwestern boreal forest landscape for three years before and after the onset of wolf culling intended to conserve threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). We hypothesized that wolf occurrence would increase with density of anthropogenic features created by landscape development before the cull, but that wolves would avoid anthropogenic features after the cull due to associated mortality risk. We used generalized linear models in an information-theoretic framework to weigh evidence for our hypotheses. Post-control, independent wolf detections decreased to 24 % of pre-cull numbers, but wolves maintained 75 % of their distribution. Pre-control, wolves were positively associated with linear features, presumably for hunting efficiency, but post-cull wolves were negatively associated with these features. Thus, wolf control caused not only a numerical reduction of wolf numbers, but also a functional change in wolf behaviour that could further reduce predation pressure on caribou. However, post cull wolf occurrence was more strongly associated with anthropogenic block features which provide forage for alternate prey, potentially subsidizing their fast recovery. Conservation actions involving predator mortality alter landscape-scale distributions and behaviors of surviving predators, with potential indirect effects for the mammal community.

Acoustic deterrents for Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and threatened shorebird clutch survival on sandy beaches

Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes are a key driver of low reproductive success in beach-nesting shorebirds such as the Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus cucullatus, with lethal fox control curtailed by free-roaming pets and nearby urban dwellings. We tested the efficacy of an ultrasonic deterrent to alter fox behaviour and improve clutch survival. A test of the device on mock clutches demonstrated no apparent negative effect on clutch survival so testing occurred on real clutches. The deterrent evoked responses from foxes. Assemblages of species visiting real clutches differed between treatment and control sites, such that foxes tended to visit control clutches more frequently than those with the acoustic deterrent; rates of fox visitation did not differ yet featured low statistical power. The acoustic device did not confer any large benefit in terms of improved clutch survival, although low statistical power precluded us from assessing whether smaller effects occurred. This study suggests that additional aversive stimuli are likely required to deter fox take of real plover eggs.

Unravelling predator–prey interactions in response to planned fire: a case study from the Tanami Desert

Context Introduced predators pose a significant threat to biodiversity. Understanding how predators interact with other threats such as fire is crucial to developing effective conservation strategies. Aims We investigated interactions between the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) and two introduced predators, the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus), in response to fire management in a remote part of the Tanami Desert, Australia. Methods We used motion-sensor cameras and non-invasive genetic sampling to monitor bilbies and predators. We compared activity profiles to determine the level of temporal overlap among species, and used generalised linear modelling to assess the correlation between activity and average normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI; as a proxy for fire-associated environmental change). Finally, we used spatially explicit capture–recapture modelling to estimate cat and bilby densities before and after fire. Key results Cat and bilby activity declined following fire, whereas fox activity increased (despite only a small proportion of the study area being burnt). Bilbies and foxes showed the greatest overlap in temporal activity (76%), followed by bilbies and cats (71%) and cats and foxes (68%). Bilbies and cats were more likely to be captured in areas with a lower NDVI, whereas foxes were more likely to be captured in areas with a higher NDVI. Bilby density declined significantly following fire, whereas cat density remained constant through time. Conclusions Declines in bilby activity and density following fire may be attributed to emigration from the study area and/or increases in fox activity. Post-burn emigration could be due to wide scale destruction of important food resources. However, given much of the study area where bilbies were detected remained unburnt, it is more likely that observed declines are related to increases in fox activity and associated increases in predation pressure. Improved understanding may be gained by experimentally manipulating both fire and predator densities. Implications Increases in fox activity following fire are likely to have devastating consequences for the local bilby population. It is thus vital that appropriate management activities are put in place to protect bilbies from foxes. This may be achieved through a combination of lethal control and indirect methods.

Lethal wolf control elicits change in moose habitat selection in unexpected ways

AbstractMoose (Alces alces) and woodland caribou (Ranger tarandus caribou) are the 2 large prey species for wolves (Canis lupus) in the Nearctic boreal forest in North America. Caribou have declined, with widespread anthropogenic disturbance as the ultimate cause and wolf predation as the proximal cause. To conserve caribou the government of Alberta, Canada initiated a wolf control program to reduce predation rates on caribou populations and contribute to caribou population recovery. Predators play an important role in shaping the structure and function of ecosystems through top‐down forces. We hypothesized that the strongest factors influencing moose occurrences would reflect changes in predation risk before and after the onset of wolf control. We weighed evidence for competing hypothesis by deploying cameras across a highly industrialized landscape in Alberta for 3 years after wolf control (2017–2020), capitalizing on 3 years of existing data before the onset of wolf control (2011–2014). We created generalized linear models representing competing hypotheses about moose response to natural and anthropogenic landscape features before and after wolf control, examining support for each in an information‐theoretic framework. Prior to wolf control, the model containing landscape features providing security cover was best‐supported, but this was scale‐dependent. After wolf control, the model containing landscape features that offer increased forage opportunities was best‐supported. Unexpectedly, the direction of effect was often opposite to predictions, with moose avoiding some features thought to provide security and forage. We demonstrate that lethal predator control affects the spatial distribution of its primary prey species but in ways we do not fully comprehend, highlighting the need for a better understanding of community dynamics following wolf control.

Biodiverse cities or green light for biological invasions?

ABSTRACT Considerable effort and money are spent to promulgate greener, more biodiverse cities with a fundamental push to increase the green connectivity between remnant urban bushlands and with their surrounding natural habitats (ecological reserves and National Parks). Yet, cities are recognised as major point of entry for biological invasions and provide abundant shelter and food resources to sustain established populations of invasive species. An increased connectivity of green spaces across the cities could therefore create new hazards for the health and safety of native species and the human residents. In Australia, most greening strategies designed for large urban centres only consider invasive species as a secondary nuisance that can be managed a posteriori. Established pest populations are very difficult and costly to control unless the effort is invested at the early stage of invasion and lethal control of wildlife is often controversial in urban landscapes. A novel approach that has yet to be further explored consists of manipulating the habitat within the urban green spaces and corridors so as to maintain their functionality for biodiversity and their benefits for human residents while slowing the spread of invasive species. The key to success involves cross-disciplinary research between urban design, conservation and biosecurity.

The Animal Welfare Consequences and Moral Implications of Lethal and Non-Lethal Fox Control Methods.

Control methods are applied worldwide to reduce predation on livestock by European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Lethal methods can inflict suffering; however, moral debate about their use is lacking. Non-lethal methods can also inflict suffering and can unintentionally lead to death, and yet both the welfare consequences and ethical perspectives regarding their use are rarely discussed. The aim of this study was to investigate the animal welfare consequences, the level of humaneness, the ethical considerations and the moral implications of the global use of fox control methods according to Tom Regan's animal rights view and Peter Singer's utilitarian view. According to Regan, foxes ought not to be controlled by either lethal or potentially harmful non-lethal methods because this violates the right of foxes not to be harmed or killed. According to Singer, if an action maximises happiness or the satisfaction of preferences over unhappiness or suffering, then the action is justified. Therefore, if and only if the use of fox control methods can prevent suffering and death in livestock in a manner that outweighs comparable suffering and death in foxes is one morally obligated to use them. It is clear that lethal fox control methods and some non-lethal methods are inhumane.

Evaluating the potential white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) swim pattern manipulation capabilities of the novel and noninvasive Shark Exclusion Barrier

Abstract Even though the risk of a negative encounter with a large and potentially dangerous shark species (e.g. white sharks—Carcharodon carcharias) is exceedingly rare, some localities implement indiscriminate shark culls to minimize this risk. Due to the negative ecological impact that these lethal shark control measures can have, the present study aimed to test a novel and eco‐friendly shark barrier system, known as the Shark Exclusion Barrier. The Shark Exclusion Barrier is a shark deterrent technology that is composed of a combination of interconnected and telescoping vertical barrier elements (i.e. the visual stimulus) and electromagnetic stimuli (e.g. electromagnets and Barium Ferrite (BaFe12O19) permanent magnets). Using this system, two separate C. carcharias swim pattern manipulation studies were conducted over the course of two research seasons. In the first season (i.e. 2021), 9, 1‐h trials were conducted where 9–13 different C. carcharias interacted with the barrier. In the second season (i.e. 2023), 35, 2‐h trials were conducted where 6–10 C. carcharias interacted with the barrier. Throughout experimentation, C. carcharias exhibited a significantly greater entrance frequency (p &lt; 0.05) and a significantly reduced pass around frequency (p &lt; 0.05) towards the control region when compared to the Shark Exclusion Barrier region. Furthermore, the barrier exhibited the ability to maintain its structural integrity during swells of ≥2.13 m, breaking waves of ≥1.52 m and a current of ≥1.12 m/s. Due to the promising results, this technology warrants further investigation to determine if it is a plausible alternative to lethal culling measures.

Background food influences rate of encounter and efficacy of rodenticides in wild house mice

Abstract Baiting is widely used in wildlife management for various purposes, including lethal control, fertility control, disease and parasite control, and conditioned aversion programs for many invasive vertebrate species. The efficacy of baiting programs relies on the likelihood that target animals will encounter the bait, consume it and receive an appropriate dose of the active ingredient. However, there has been little focus on encounter rate of toxic baits combined with behavioural aversion, which are likely to be significant factors affecting efficacy. Following optimal foraging theory, the likelihood of an animal encountering and consuming a toxic grain bait should increase in proportion to its availability relative to background food quantity if it is neither more or less detectable or palatable. Furthermore, the probability of consuming toxic baits might also be influenced by bait aversion following ingestion of a non‐lethal dose of toxin. Using a model system of wild house mice (Mus musculus L.) in mouse‐proof enclosures in Australia, we manipulated background food, applied zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) baits and measured mouse mortality. When background food was scarce, mouse mortality was high, whereas an increasing abundance of background food led to reduced mortality. A scenario modelling random encounters and including bait aversion explained 78% of the variation in observed mortality outcomes and achieved a closer fit to the data than modelling random encounters alone. Mortality rates were predicted to be higher with a higher strength bait, which would overcome behavioural aversion. Ensuring that animals locate and consume a lethal dose of toxic bait is a critical factor for successful bait delivery and efficacy. This is particularly significant in toxic baiting programs, where sublethal doses can make animals feel sick, leading to a negative association with the bait, and the development of aversion. Synthesis and applications: Our findings explain why some toxic baiting programs might fail. To achieve successful control, efforts should be directed at reducing the availability of background food to increase the probability of encounter and uptake of toxic baits. It is important to measure and understand the role of background food on toxic baiting programs to explain variable outcomes and inform strategies for successful bait delivery.

Interspecies conflict, precarious reasoning, and the gull problem in the Gulf of Maine.

Contemporary conservation science requires mediating conflicts among nonhuman species, but the grounds for favoring one species over another can be unclear. We examined the premises through which wildlife managers picked sides in an interspecies conflict: seabird conservation in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). Managers in the GOM follow a simple narrative dubbed the gull problem. This narrative assumes Larus gulls are overpopulated and unnatural in the region. In turn, these assumptions make gulls an easy target for culling and lethal control when the birds come into conflict with other seabirds, particularly Sterna terns. Surveying historical, natural historical, and ecological evidence, we found no scientific support for the claim that Larus gulls are overpopulated in the GOM. Claims of overpopulation originated from a historical context in which rising gull populations became a nuisance to humans. Further, we found only limited evidence that anthropogenic subsidies make gulls unnatural in the region, especially when compared with anthropogenic subsidies provided for other seabirds. The risks and consequences of leveraging precarious assumptions include cascading plans to cull additional gull populations, obfuscation of more fundamental environmental threats to seabirds, and the looming paradox of gull conservation-even if one is still inclined to protect terns in the GOM. Our close look at the regional history of a conservation practice thus revealed the importance of not only conservation decisions, but also conservation decision-making.

Leopard density and determinants of space use in a farming landscape in South Africa

Protected areas are traditionally the foundation of conservation strategy, but land not formally protected is of particular importance for the conservation of large carnivores because of their typically wide-ranging nature. In South Africa, leopard (Panthera pardus) population decreases are thought to be occurring in areas of human development and intense negative interactions, but research is biased towards protected areas, with quantitative information on population sizes and trends in non-protected areas severely lacking. Using Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture and occupancy techniques including 10 environmental and anthropogenic covariates, we analysed camera trap data from commercial farmland in South Africa where negative human-wildlife interactions are reported to be high. Our findings demonstrate that leopards persist at a moderate density (2.21 /100 km2) and exhibit signs of avoidance from areas where lethal control measures are implemented. This suggests leopards have the potential to navigate mixed mosaic landscapes effectively, enhancing their chances of long-term survival and coexistence with humans. Mixed mosaics of agriculture that include crops, game and livestock farming should be encouraged and, providing lethal control is not ubiquitous in the landscape, chains of safer spaces should permit vital landscape connectivity. However, continuing to promote non-lethal mitigation techniques remains vital.

Protecting wild bird nests against predators: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of non‐lethal methods

Abstract Implementing effective, affordable and ethical conservation management will be crucial for minimising future biodiversity losses. Such management requires reliable foundational evidence to help managers make informed choices about how to address the needs of their target species. Unfortunately, such evidence is still lacking for many species and management scenarios. One major global challenge is improving the reproductive success of threatened species in the context of predation. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of in situ experiments that used non‐lethal methods to protect bird nests against predators, with the aims of summarising global trends in nest protection efforts, comparing the effectiveness of different protection measures and informing future research and management. We considered peer‐reviewed studies in English. We detected a large geographic and taxonomic bias in the evidence base with 58% of articles conducted in North America and 76% on ground‐nesting birds. Less than 3% of articles involved taxa listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered and 51% of study units lasted just a single breeding season. Nests protected with exclosures, fences and guards were more likely to be successful than their unprotected controls. Interventions involving deterrents, conditioned taste aversion, chemical camouflage and diversionary feeding did not have a significant positive effect on nest success, but the interventions in these categories were less common and more diverse in nature. Synthesis and applications. To increase their conservation value, future non‐lethal nest protection experiments should whenever possible clearly state overall aims, take place over multiple seasons, use a comparable control and test non‐lethal protection methods independently of lethal predator control. Greater focus is required on under‐studied taxa such as cup‐nesting songbirds and birds in South America, Africa and Asia, and novel protection techniques such as deterrents and chemical camouflage. Practitioners should consider the evidence we synthesise here when deciding whether non‐lethal nest protection approaches are optimal for their study system, to increase conservation success and reduce ethical and financial costs.

Managing Feral Swine: Thoughts of Private Landowners in the West Gulf Region

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) have extensive harmed private landowners throughout the southern United States, especially in the West Gulf Region. Managing feral swine on private land is becoming increasingly critical and challenging to reduce both ecological and economic damage. To better understand private landowners’ experience and preferences for various feral swine management measures, we surveyed private landowners across the West Gulf Region (WGR) including Arkansas (AR), Louisiana (LA), and East Texas (ETX) in 2021. A total of 4500 surveys were mailed across the three states, with 2000 questionnaires sent in AR, 1500 in LA, and 1000 in ETX. Using descriptive analysis and principal components analysis (PCA), we analyzed private landowners’ experiences and preferences in feral swine management across this region. The tesults revealed that most private landowners (&gt;85%) in the region were familiar with feral swine, and over 80% of them had ever seen the intrusion of feral swine onto their properties. Regarding the potential management measures, these landowners strongly supported lethal control methods such as capture and kill; in addition, they expressed a strong desire to receive education on and technical assistance with controlling feral swine. These findings provide a better understanding of private landowners’ familiarity and experiences with feral swine presence on their properties and their preference and support for various feral swine control measures, aiding in developing more effective feral swine management and control policies and programs in the West Gulf Region and beyond.

Perceptions and reality in fisher coexistence with aquatic predators in the Peruvian Amazon

AbstractHumans and large aquatic predators compete for fish and negative interactions are widely reported as ‘human–wildlife conflicts’. When aquatic predators are perceived to damage fisheries or fishing equipment, lethal control can occur. The perceptions and reality of damage are infrequently compared, but this relationship is key to determining how negative outcomes can be mitigated. We examine coexistence between people and six large aquatic piscivores (two caiman, two dolphins, two otters) in Amazonian Peru. We determine the extent of damage to fishing equipment caused by each species and compare this to the amount of damage perceived by fishers. Giant otter populations have recently recovered in some areas, so we expected different perceptions relating to experiences with otters. We trained fishers to complete fishing registers (n = 278, 1173 h of fishing) to record damage to nets by wildlife. We interviewed 302 people from three sites to determine perceptions of damage by predators, and attitudes towards giant otters. Rates of damage to nets reflected the presence and populations of different aquatic predators at each site, but when present, dolphins and caimans damaged nets more than otters, which rarely damaged nets. People living where giant otters had recently recovered perceived higher relative levels of damage to nets by them and had more negative attitudes about them, compared to people from areas where giant otters had been present for longer, aquatic predators were more abundant, and community resource management was longer‐established. Better knowledge and more experience with a species may lead to more accurate perceptions of damage and increased tolerance. Where humans and animals compete for natural resources, conflict mitigation rarely includes better resource management. If tolerance of predators is greater where predators are common, and resources have not been overexploited, resource management may yield greater gains for stakeholders than other commonly prescribed forms of mitigation.