Livestock depredation by wild carnivores in the highlands of Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia

Context. Livestock depredation is a major medium-and large-carnivore conservation challenge around the globe, causing a substantial economic loss to small-scale agricultural communities in the Wolaita Highlands, southern Ethiopia, and often leading to retaliatory killing. In the Wolaita Highlands, southern Ethiopia, livestock depredation rates are increasing because of conversion of wild habitats into grazing lands. Various studies have examined the interactions between humans and carnivores in time and space and the prey preference of carnivores with regard to livestock type. Aim. This study aimed to assess livestock depredation by large carnivores in time, space, season and prey preference by carnivores and economic losses by farmers with regard to livestock depredation in the highlands of Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. Methods. In total, 384 herders who are heads of households were interviewed and an information-theoretic approach was used to analyse the factors influencing self-reported livestock losses to spotted hyena, leopards and jackal. Key results. The economic loss associated with livestock depredation by spotted hyena, leopard and jackal amounted to an average loss of US$33.3 per herder and year. We found that spotted hyena had a preference for sheep, goat and donkey; leopard for goat and sheep; and jackal for goat and poultry. Livestock depredations by the three carnivores were mainly during the night-time and more severe during the dry season. Conclusion. The number of livestock owned by a household, night-time, dry season and the availability and preferences of the type of livestock by carnivores had the strongest influence on livestock losses. Implications. To mitigate wild carnivore conflicts in the highlands of Wolaita, southern Ethiopia, we make recommendations that the farmers should be trained and equipped in order to build a better wild-carnivore management strategies and to scale up their mitigating strategies.