https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index en-au 5 Complex Ways in Which Landscape Conditions and Risks Affect Human Attitudes Towards Wildlife https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:52011 Tue 26 Sep 2023 11:36:40 AEST ]]> Size, shape and maintenance matter: a critical appraisal of a global carnivore conflict mitigation strategy - livestock protection kraals in northern Botswana https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:33359 n = 427 kraal months) where lions (Panthera leo) frequently kill cattle. Monthly kraal use was 60% and was significantly influenced by kraal type, age, and shape. When used and maintained, kraals stopped livestock depredation. Due to poor maintenance, however, kraal age had a significant, negative influence on kraal use and effectiveness, compromising sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Fortified kraals built by a non-governmental organisation cost US$1322.36 per unit (n = 20) and mitigated a mean annual loss of $187.32. This suggests cost-recuperation after 7.0 years, or 2.3 times longer than observed kraal lifetime. Conversely, owner-built replicates cost $579.90 per unit (n = 4), recuperating investment after 3.1 years. Owner satisfaction was significantly higher for fortified kraals when compared with traditional kraals. However, owners of fortified kraals did not kraal their cattle more frequently than owners of traditional kraals. Regionally, the mean annual kraaling rate for 29 GPS-monitored cattle herds (n = 3360 nights) was 40%, leaving cattle vulnerable to depredation, and highlighting the importance of promoting vigilant herding together with kraaling to prevent losses. This combination could reduce regional livestock losses by 80%, or >$38,000 annually, however, kraal fortification alone does not provide a blanket solution to carnivore conflicts in Africa's agro-pastoral landscapes.]]> Mon 22 Feb 2021 16:11:52 AEDT ]]>