Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores
Human-wildlife conflicts are a global conservation and management challenge. Multipredator systems present added complexity to the resolution of human-wildlife conflicts because mitigation strategies often are species-specific. Documenting the type and distribution of such conflicts is an important...
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Resilience Alliance
2017
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:52a95fb38fe541b4bd3dccb65bfa2471 2023-05-15T15:51:03+02:00 Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores Andrea T. Morehouse Mark S. Boyce 2017-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09415-220304 https://doaj.org/article/52a95fb38fe541b4bd3dccb65bfa2471 EN eng Resilience Alliance http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol22/iss3/art4/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-09415-220304 https://doaj.org/article/52a95fb38fe541b4bd3dccb65bfa2471 Ecology and Society, Vol 22, Iss 3, p 4 (2017) black bear carnivores cougar grizzly bear human-wildlife conflict livestock depredation omnivory predation wolf Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09415-220304 2022-12-31T11:28:58Z Human-wildlife conflicts are a global conservation and management challenge. Multipredator systems present added complexity to the resolution of human-wildlife conflicts because mitigation strategies often are species-specific. Documenting the type and distribution of such conflicts is an important first step toward ensuring that subsequent management and mitigation efforts are appropriately targeted. We reviewed 16 years of records of complaints about two species of strict carnivores, wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor), and two species of omnivores, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus americanus) in southwestern Alberta and evaluated the temporal and spatial distribution of these complaints. Conflicts were most frequently associated with bears (68.7% of complaint records), reflecting a diversity of conflict types attributable to their omnivorous diets. Although grizzly bears killed and injured livestock, the majority of conflicts with bears were attributable to attractants (grain and dead livestock for grizzly bears, garbage for black bears). In contrast, wolf and cougar incidents were almost exclusively related to killing or injury of livestock. Complaints for both bear species have increased over the past 16 years while cougar and wolf complaints have remained relatively constant. Grizzly bear and cougar conflicts have been expanding into private lands used for agriculture. Although community driven, targeted mitigation measures have helped reduce conflicts with grizzly bears at the site level, conflicts at the broader scale have continued to increase and continued work is necessary. Long-term human-carnivore coexistence clearly is possible, facilitated by continued monitoring and local efforts to mitigate conflicts. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Ursus arctos Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Ecology and Society 22 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
black bear carnivores cougar grizzly bear human-wildlife conflict livestock depredation omnivory predation wolf Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
black bear carnivores cougar grizzly bear human-wildlife conflict livestock depredation omnivory predation wolf Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 Andrea T. Morehouse Mark S. Boyce Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
topic_facet |
black bear carnivores cougar grizzly bear human-wildlife conflict livestock depredation omnivory predation wolf Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Human-wildlife conflicts are a global conservation and management challenge. Multipredator systems present added complexity to the resolution of human-wildlife conflicts because mitigation strategies often are species-specific. Documenting the type and distribution of such conflicts is an important first step toward ensuring that subsequent management and mitigation efforts are appropriately targeted. We reviewed 16 years of records of complaints about two species of strict carnivores, wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor), and two species of omnivores, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus americanus) in southwestern Alberta and evaluated the temporal and spatial distribution of these complaints. Conflicts were most frequently associated with bears (68.7% of complaint records), reflecting a diversity of conflict types attributable to their omnivorous diets. Although grizzly bears killed and injured livestock, the majority of conflicts with bears were attributable to attractants (grain and dead livestock for grizzly bears, garbage for black bears). In contrast, wolf and cougar incidents were almost exclusively related to killing or injury of livestock. Complaints for both bear species have increased over the past 16 years while cougar and wolf complaints have remained relatively constant. Grizzly bear and cougar conflicts have been expanding into private lands used for agriculture. Although community driven, targeted mitigation measures have helped reduce conflicts with grizzly bears at the site level, conflicts at the broader scale have continued to increase and continued work is necessary. Long-term human-carnivore coexistence clearly is possible, facilitated by continued monitoring and local efforts to mitigate conflicts. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Andrea T. Morehouse Mark S. Boyce |
author_facet |
Andrea T. Morehouse Mark S. Boyce |
author_sort |
Andrea T. Morehouse |
title |
Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
title_short |
Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
title_full |
Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
title_fullStr |
Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
title_full_unstemmed |
Troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
title_sort |
troublemaking carnivores: conflicts with humans in a diverse assemblage of large carnivores |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09415-220304 https://doaj.org/article/52a95fb38fe541b4bd3dccb65bfa2471 |
genre |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
op_source |
Ecology and Society, Vol 22, Iss 3, p 4 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol22/iss3/art4/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-09415-220304 https://doaj.org/article/52a95fb38fe541b4bd3dccb65bfa2471 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09415-220304 |
container_title |
Ecology and Society |
container_volume |
22 |
container_issue |
3 |
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1766386102310010880 |